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00:00Unreported World is back with a new series, and tonight we're from Nigeria,
00:04where women are risking their reputations, careers, and sometimes their families
00:08to succeed in one of the world's largest film industries.
00:11In the conservative north, actresses and directors face strict Sharia law
00:16and powerful censors who can end careers overnight.
00:20Anya Pop travels from Kano's tightly controlled Cannywood
00:23to the booming studios of Nollywood in the south
00:26to meet the women determined to tell their own stories
00:29and rewrite the script in a male-dominated industry.
00:34It's loud, love story-driven, and scandal-ridden.
00:41Yet in northern Nigeria's film industry, Cannywood, women work under extreme censorship.
00:47Why would she be using that film and trying to destroy the image of Hausa?
00:52No, no, no.
00:53Where getting it wrong can mean jail or industry exile.
00:57It's not all about, OK, how good your movie is, it's how well can you protect yourself too.
01:02So when they have everything to lose...
01:05In the process of me being an actress, I lose my family.
01:09What fuels these trailblazing women...
01:12But how would you give birth if you didn't open your legs?
01:15Thank you! Thank you!
01:18Risking it all to make their name in a man's world.
01:22Whoever you get to see in Cannywood is rebellious.
01:44The ancient city of Cano, once a key stop on the trans-Saharan trade route, is now a major hub
01:50for movies.
01:52Cannywood is northern Nigeria's own answer to Hollywood, and reaches over 80 million Hausa speakers across Africa.
02:00Here, all productions must follow a strict Islamic moral code and uphold Hausa values, where men hold the power.
02:08Yet some women are trying to rewrite the script.
02:16We've joined Mansoura Issa, one of Cannywood's first female directors, on her set, Capacity, a female-focused series.
02:27Action!
02:28Action!
02:30Action!
02:31You, obviously, are you I'm gonna go jake, you I'm gonna go!
02:39You don't have to come where I'm at!
02:40You don't have to come!
02:48You don't have to come!
02:50You don't have to come!
02:52Cut!
02:53Cut!
02:53Cut!
02:55With over 20 years in Caniwood, Mansoura is one of just a handful of female directors
03:00registered here.
03:10She's mindful of strict censorship rules where showing immoral themes like adultery, prostitution
03:16or criminality can lead to filming bans or even prison.
03:20The cast is almost exclusively female. It's actually about women empowering women and
03:27in a society where men call the shots could be perceived as an act of rebellion.
03:34During a wardrobe change, Mansoura explains how her films try to counter male narratives.
03:40It's time for us to stop sitting back and allowing them to mold us the way they want.
03:46And I hope with this series, Capacity, a lot of women will come out and discuss the issue
03:53that they are going through.
03:54But we have to be mindful of our dialogues.
03:57Right.
03:57Because even the dialogue censorship board can censor it at any time.
04:01If we are to talk about, OK, we want equality, we want equal share with men, it's going to
04:08be very difficult for it to pass.
04:10Yes.
04:10Attention!ं
04:23wlyckigismo Terrorism
04:24and a volatile political and religious backdrop has blighted northern Nigeria for the last few
04:29decades.
04:30Religious leaders argues that sanitising house a popular culture helps maintain the peace.
04:42We're standing outside this huge 3,000-seat cinema in Kanu,
04:46but like all big cinemas across northern Nigeria, it's long been shut.
04:51People stopped coming, a mixture of fear of Boko Haram,
04:54but also because of the introduction of Sharia law,
04:57which dissuades people, strangers especially, from sitting together in the dark,
05:02which means it now sits as this empty relic of all that's been lost here.
05:08The proclamation of Sharia law in Kanu in 2000 came with deadly violence
05:13and a drive to cleanse house a culture of Western influences.
05:19Mansoura takes us to an old VHS rental store.
05:22So in Malagato you can find all our old movies.
05:26Kaniwood was accused of spreading immorality
05:29and with the formation of the censorship board in 2001,
05:32filmmakers had to align with pure Islamic values.
05:36This shop is like a museum of house a movie
05:39and that's why it's very close to our hearts.
05:42I've featured in more than 300 movies.
05:45Wow.
05:46This is me and this is me.
05:50Nudity, foul language, intimacy and even touching the opposite sex
05:55were all banned.
05:57You can see there is a lot of films that before that,
05:59there is no even scarf.
06:01Yeah, this seems quite, uh, not the sort of outfit that,
06:04if you submitted a film now with your sort of...
06:06Never.
06:07...sharing like that.
06:08Never.
06:09Never.
06:10They won't accept it.
06:11I have to go back and remove that scene.
06:14Would they refer to this as nudity?
06:15Yes.
06:17Like Sangaya, there are some scenes that they touch hands.
06:20During the early upheaval, morality police raids
06:24and vigilante crowds targeted Kaniwood creators,
06:27burning DVD shops and hunting down actors.
06:30This is the really controversial...
06:32Controversial movie.
06:33It was so controversial.
06:36I was sent packing from Kano because of that movie.
06:40Why?
06:41Because in that movie, there is this girl,
06:43she got pregnant out of wedlock.
06:46They are looking for my house, to burn my house.
06:49And this thing happens, not only me.
06:52It has happened to a lot of people.
06:54The same religious scrutiny continues today,
06:58restricting the kind of stories filmmakers can tell.
07:01We are limited to love story and that's it.
07:04I love him, he love me.
07:06Daddy, I want to marry him and that's it.
07:08They'll allow you to release that movie.
07:09And this is giving me a headache.
07:14Strict moral codes also mean that women who choose to act
07:17can pay a high price.
07:20The winner is Amina Shehu.
07:28Amina Shehu is one of Kaniwood's rising stars
07:31and just won a Best Actress award.
07:34Actress of Dear.
07:35Amazing.
07:36Just twenty, twenty-five.
07:38Wow.
07:39And how did that feel when you win that?
07:41I cried because this is one of the day I've been waiting for.
07:47I never thought I would get one.
07:50In the typical Kaniwood family drama,
07:52Amina plays a 16-year-old married to a man 30 years her senior.
07:59But because of the way he used to treat her,
08:03she had an heart attack and died.
08:05Wow, that's making her a bit of a dirty.
08:07What's it like being a woman in northern Nigeria?
08:11As a female and a Muslim,
08:14you should just get married,
08:18be in the kitchen,
08:19have kids,
08:21just obey your husband.
08:23And you don't have your auntie.
08:25Has your family always been supportive of you acting in Kaniwood?
08:29I come from a very, very strict family.
08:32They think me being an actress
08:35will spoil my family's name and their reputation.
08:38Like, I shouldn't be acting.
08:42Acting is prohibited.
08:44I just want to be successful.
08:46And I just want to stand on my own.
08:50But refusing marriage and pursuing her independence
08:53has come at a cost.
08:55OK.
08:58What's making you upset?
09:00Is it about your family?
09:05It's difficult.
09:06Sorry.
09:08Sorry.
09:12So in the process of me being an actress,
09:15I lose my family,
09:17which is very, very bad.
09:27In Kano State,
09:28most women are still expected
09:30to seek their husband's permission
09:31to work or leave the home,
09:33ending many actresses' careers.
09:39Mansoura is recently divorced
09:41and financially independent.
09:43It means despite an industry
09:45with little money,
09:46she's able to self-fund the stories
09:48that are important to her.
09:49Hello.
09:50Hello.
09:51Hi.
09:51Welcome.
09:52Welcome.
09:54Today, she's finalising her latest film,
09:57Joda,
09:58which she directed and stars in.
10:10It still has to pass the eyes of the censors,
10:13with one crucial scene worrying her.
10:15So this is the thing I'm talking about.
10:18So I'm scared they'll ask me to remove this.
10:20What is it about it that's...
10:22So it's about a woman giving birth.
10:24I'm sure they'll say that I should remove this.
10:26Even though you're wearing trousers?
10:28Yes.
10:28Even when I'm wearing skirts,
10:30I have wrapper,
10:31I have everything.
10:32There's no...
10:33All my body is covered.
10:37What do you say?
10:42No, he was asking me,
10:43is it true?
10:44That's how the giving birth is.
10:47Joda is based on a true story
10:49about Mansoura's friend,
10:50who unknowingly contracted HIV
10:52from her husband
10:53and passed it on to her baby at birth.
10:56So for you,
10:57it's not just entertainment,
10:58it's educational.
10:59It's educational.
11:03Mansoura will face
11:03a censorship board later this week,
11:05who have recently expanded
11:07their powers dramatically.
11:16Caniwood actress Samha Inua
11:18was banned last year
11:19for one of her posts
11:20on social media.
11:22Are you able to talk through
11:24exactly what they accused you of doing
11:26and how you kind of found out
11:27that you were going to be banned for a year?
11:34Do you still have the video?
11:40Can we see it?
11:42The censorship board banned her
11:44for what they describe
11:45as crude dressing
11:46and vulgar displays.
12:00And how does that make you fail
12:02or you just resign?
12:16For some women,
12:17succeeding in Caniwood
12:18takes humour and resilience.
12:20But it's making it big outside
12:22that unlocks true fame
12:23and ambition.
12:27Superstar Marion Booth
12:28has crossed from Caniwood
12:29to Nollywood,
12:31Nigeria's mega film industry
12:32in the South,
12:33starring in the Oscar
12:35shortlisted Milkmaid.
12:37I don't follow rules.
12:40Troublemaker.
12:41I'm not a troublemaker.
12:42Whoever you get to see
12:44in Caniwood is rebellious.
12:46Because you have to be rebellious
12:49to be a Northern actress
12:50in the first place.
12:52That defines everything.
12:57The ladies face lots of trauma.
13:00They go through so much.
13:02Trust me.
13:03Everyone is fighting a battle mentally.
13:08They'll be like,
13:09stop acting, go get married.
13:13Mariam is in high demand.
13:15Today she's doing
13:16a lucrative brand promotion.
13:18She wants to inspire
13:19other women and girls
13:20to dream big.
13:22I just want to show
13:24these young girls
13:25how capable they are
13:26to reach their goals.
13:27So someone needs to make a change.
13:29And I feel like
13:30that change begins with me.
13:33Some have no choice
13:34but to drive change
13:35from within.
13:37Today it's D-Day
13:38for Mansoura's film,
13:39Joda.
13:39So I'm scared
13:41that they'll ask me
13:42to remove that part
13:43and which is the soul
13:44of the movie.
13:45It's not all about
13:46okay,
13:47how good your movie is.
13:48It's how well
13:49can you protect yourself.
13:56These censors
13:57vet all Caniwood productions.
14:02I just want to change
14:03by all the women
14:04that you need to
14:05to show.
14:10What do you want?
14:12Yes.
14:13I want to know
14:14what is the child
14:15I want to know
14:18What is it?
14:21I want to know
14:22what is it?
14:24What is it?
14:25What is it?
14:26What is it?
14:26I want to know
14:27the story.
14:29I want to know
14:45I said no.
15:02so what is not allowed the way i open my legs that's what they don't want but how would you
15:07give birth if you didn't open your legs thank you thank you the men can think otherwise so we have
15:16to protect the men not to think otherwise in the movie do you think women viewers would be offended
15:25by it or is it mainly it's allowed for women i'm not happy about it the men they can fight
15:39it we
15:40women cannot fight it because we have to protect ourselves at the same time it's not easy now
15:49it's okay
15:56it's okay
16:05How are you doing?
16:07I'm just going to come here
16:08and I'm going to go in.
16:30Male-dominated cannywood dictates Hausa women's public image, defining their dress, behavior
16:36and self-expression.
16:39We've been invited to speak with the head of the censorship board, Abba El-Mustafa,
16:43a prolific cannywood producer and actor.
16:46Do you feel like your role is to protect Hausa culture?
16:51This agency is protecting the image of our religion and our, you know, tradition, custom
16:58of Hausa.
16:59Who is there in charge is their brother, their son and their father.
17:05Anything that is very, very sensitive, don't portray it in a movie.
17:08Anything that can bring about topic of discussion negatively in the society, please keep it
17:15aside.
17:15Don't go beyond the boundary.
17:17Don't go beyond the ethics of Islam.
17:19Don't go beyond the teachings of custom tradition and values.
17:24Do you feel like in the industry, men are held to the same standard as women?
17:29All, all those things that we are trying to restrict happens, happens with women.
17:37There you can see we don't have much problem with men.
17:40All we are doing is let us see what does Islam say about at least women.
17:45Can you explain to us why Samha was suspended for a year?
17:50There is that regulation that don't misuse your social media account.
17:57So why will she be using that film and trying to destroy the image of Hausa?
18:02No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
18:03Were you making an example of her?
18:05Oh, yeah.
18:05And unless I have achieved, and I told you the reason.
18:09Yeah.
18:09We, we, we, we, we just use her as a scapegoat.
18:16Canny Wood films make up an estimated 30% of Nigeria's movie production.
18:22It's dwarfed by Nollywood in the largely Christian south, where women are powering the industry.
18:28Please come in.
18:29You're welcome to my home.
18:30Beautiful.
18:32Mo Abudu is Nigeria's most eminent female media mogul and operates free of any moral censorship.
18:40I'm changing from my slippers into my shoes.
18:43She built Ebony Life, a media empire with its own cinema chain that's produced over 5,000 hours of content.
18:50Ebony Life cinemas went from being number 40 on the list of cinemas in Nigeria to today being literally number
18:59one.
19:00Honestly, I, I mean, I'm just, I'm in awe.
19:05In the Ebony Life multiplexes, they produce award winning shows for Netflix, Sony and cinema.
19:12The wedding party.
19:14The wedding party.
19:15It was the biggest box office success for many, many years in Nigeria.
19:19The Sons of the Caliphate is an authentic story set in northern Nigeria.
19:23It was one of the first Hauser series to ever make it onto Netflix.
19:26Very authentic, amazing cast, beautifully shot, costuming locations.
19:32How would the way that you make a northern film differ from perhaps how they would make films?
19:37Well, I make it have broader appeal so that a wider audience can consume it and understand it.
19:44It just gives it that, you know, that reach, that broadness that it, that it, that it deserves.
19:52We've been invited to join a networking lunch with some of the top female actresses, producers and creatives in Nollywood.
20:00Are women setting the bar in South Nigeria? In terms of the film industry?
20:06In the South West. 100%.
20:06Or in, in Nollywood? Yes.
20:09But how is it that right now, if you look at the ten highest grossing films in Nollywood?
20:16At least the first seven women.
20:17That, that deserves a wonderful card. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
20:21Rake! Rake!
20:24Everybody work, everybody on this table is here because they're also at the top of their game.
20:30Is the reason that women are so successful in this industry because you're all pushing each other up?
20:37Collaboration. Yes, it's important. It's important.
20:40Collaboration. You can't go far alone.
20:40I don't think everybody supports everybody. Everybody here supports each other.
20:44With collaboration, you can go ten times further and ten times faster than if you do it alone.
20:50Despite the difference in religion and culture, women here still feel they have to work much harder to achieve success.
20:57We've spent a lot of time in the North where women there say that, you know, men don't take them
21:01seriously and they've really got to fight for any opportunity.
21:04It's the same in the South.
21:05Men, Nigerian men are Nigerian men.
21:08It's the same.
21:08Wherever they are in Nigeria, they are the same.
21:12It's the same.
21:12Right? At the end of the day, men are resentful of successful women.
21:17Bam!
21:18100%.
21:19They are resentful.
21:20I guess maybe the difference there to here is they still very much hold the key to power, whereas...
21:25Well, they have...
21:26Nobody gives you the key.
21:27You have to take it.
21:29They can't pass this.
21:30Women filmmakers across Nigeria are pushing boundaries to excel.
21:34And despite facing different barriers to success, their aim is to set a new bar for women.
21:40We're back with Mansoura in Cano.
21:43We've seen how difficult things are in Cannywood.
21:47Getting films passed, getting funding.
21:49Why do you carry on?
21:52Passion.
21:53Love.
21:53Because you believe one day things might get better.
21:58A lot of artists that are from, like, Cannywood, the future in some of the Nollywood, Bollywood,
22:04Hollywood, you understand?
22:05Those would be the greatest achievements for them.
22:08And at the minute, does it feel like that's close or...?
22:11Yeah.
22:14Not close at all.
22:17And why is it important for you to keep doing films that push the boundaries on what's usually
22:24covered in Cannywood when it comes at such a personal cost to you?
22:28So I try to push women, I try to show women that they are strong and they can be even
22:33more
22:34than what they think they are.
22:39Mansoura's drive to encourage other women comes from her own struggles.
22:43After my divorce, I went to hell.
22:48I was having suicidal depression and it wasn't easy for me to be able to overcome it.
22:56I cannot allow other people to tell me what to do or how to live my life.
23:02But for Mansoura, staying strong and inspiring other women to be self-empowered is only half the job.
23:09I'm the mother of boys. I have, like, a total, let's say, 15, 16.
23:16As well as her own children, Mansoura has informally adopted 11 boys.
23:21She's hopeful about the next generation.
23:24Are you teaching these boys to be good men?
23:27Yeah, I'm doing that and they are learning from me too.
23:29So they are all good men.
23:31I want their happiness and at the same time I want my happiness too.
23:54I do not intend to be a consequence.
23:56Oh my God.
23:56Oh my God.
24:05Yes, byline would allow mercy.
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