Living in Bondage is a two part Nigerian film released in 1992 and 1993, shot on video rather than on film stock, with Chris Obi Rapu directing the first part and Chika Onu the second, and Kenneth Nnebue producing. It follows a man who joins a secret cult and murders his wife in a ritual sacrifice for wealth, only to be tormented afterward by her ghost. The film is widely regarded as the first Nigerian home video production to become a genuine commercial blockbuster, and its success established that direct to video features made cheaply and sold on cassette could draw large paying audiences, a model that became the founding template of the Nollywood film industry, now one of the largest film industries in the world by number of productions.
Facts
Release Year Classification
Original Language FAQs
How did Living in Bondage come to be shot on video?
It had no funding until Ogunjiofor partnered with Nnebue, a VHS importer, and it was shot with a VHS camcorder.
The film began as a script by Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, but he had no funding for it. He partnered with Kenneth Nnebue, a businessman who imported VHS tapes from Taiwan, and the film was shot with a VHS camcorder. It was not a high production value shoot, but releasing it directly to home video was innovative at the time.
Connections
In Medium
Source Living in Bondage (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Original Language
Also in Language Atlas: the original language of this subject.
Originated In
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Sources
1. Wikidata: Living in Bondage
Wikidata Q3038304, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source 2. Wikipedia
Wikimedia Foundation
Living in Bondage (Wikipedia)
Lead section
Living in Bondage is a Nigerian two-part drama thriller released in 1992 and 1993 respectively, directed by Chris Obi Rapu (part 1) and Chika Christian Onu (part 2), written by Kenneth Nnebue and Okechukwu Ogunjiofor, produced by Ogunjiofor, and sponsored by Jafac Wine.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_in_Bondage, lead paragraph, opening sentence (release years)
Living in Bondage is a Nigerian two-part drama thriller released in 1992 and 1993 respectively
In Medium: Film, Lead
The film starred Kenneth Okonkwo and Nnenna Nwabueze in their breakout roles, and is regarded as the first Nigerian home video to achieve blockbuster success.
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