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Steve Gukas

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Steve Gukas
Born
Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, Film director
Known for93 Days (2016) •
A Place in the Stars (2014)

Steve Gukas is a Nollywood filmmaker,[1] director and producer who believes that films should be used to address the ills of the society.[2][3]

Education

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Gukas studied Television Production at NTA TV College in Jos, Theatre Arts at the University of Jos and Film production at the London Film School, United Kingdom.[2]

Career

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He is a former managing director of a Nigerian radio station, WE FM.[4]

In 2002, he directed the movie "Keeping Faith". In 2007, he produced the iconic movie, "Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation", featuring the American actor, Danny Glover;[5] it was his first project.[6]

In 2014, the film he directed and produced, "A Place in the Stars" was released. The film was produced in honour of Dora Akunyili, the late Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), who fought against the production, sales and usage of adulterated drugs in Nigeria.[2] The movie starred Segun Arinze, Dejumo Lewis, Matilda Obaseki, Gideon Okeke, Yemi Blaq and Femi Branch. Later on, at the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), the movie won the Best Movie (Drama) award.[5]

In 2016, he directed the movie, "93 Days", a movie created in memory of Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, a late Nigerian physician who alongside other health workers in Lagos, helped stop the spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria by sacrificing herself to the task in 2014. The movie featured Nollywood actors and Bimbo Akintola, Danny Glover, Seun Ajayi, Keppy Ekpeyong and Bimbo Manuel.[7][8][2][9][10] The film streams on NETFLIX.[11][12][13] The movie, alongside two others ("Isoken" and "The Bridge") were the first movies to be screened in the "Nollywood in Hollywood" initiative's first edition.[1][14][15][16] The movie premiered in early September 2016 at the Toronto International Film Festival[17] and at the Chicago International Film Festival.[18]

He also produced, "Keeping The Faith" and "Mr. Johnson".[5] He, as well desires to make a film on the Nigeria's Plateau State capital, Jos.[2]

He was part of the discussants at the 2017 Rapid Lion South African International Film Festival in which participants discussed the present and future of the African Cinema.[19]

He was a co-producer of a sequel to the movie which gave birth to Nigeria's Nollywood, titled "Living in Bondage",[20] originally produced in 1992, who according to Ramsey Nouah, the film's director as well as an actor in reference to Gukas, had "a reputation of doing big projects". The film featured actors like Kenneth Okonkwo, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Bob-Manuel Udokwu, Enyinna Nwigwe and Kalu Ikeagwu.[2][21]

In the AMVCA awards 2020, for the 2019 movie, "Living in Bondage",[22][23] he won the "Best Movie West Africa" award, with a cash prize of N1,000,000, courtesy of Clorets, in support to the Nigerian Movie Industry.[24][25]

Quotes

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‘I think Fela said it best during his time when he said that for an African musician, music shouldn’t be just about enjoyment. You should use it to speak about things that are important to your society. And I believe that it is a very strong statement. Because what that says is that when you have a voice, you have a platform, you have a responsibility,”[2]

“Yes, entertainment is important but I think you can mix entertainment with a degree of commentary and tackling of issues that are relevant, especially in our clime where there is the need for that. In more advanced climes, they face fewer problems than we face and therefore can dedicate a lot of their talent to entertainment and creating likeness for the consumer of their products. But while we do have that need, issues like these should be addressed, it should be put in the front burner so that conversations can foster.”[2]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2024 A Father's Love executive producer
2024 Kill Boro executive producer
2023 Love and Life producer
2022 Cake producer
2019 Living in Bondage: Breaking Free co-producer
2016 93 Days director
2014 A Place in the Stars director •
co-producer
2007 Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation producer
2002 Keeping Faith director

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Augoye, Jayne (August 21, 2019). "Hollywood' presentation event holds in Lagos". Premium Times. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Obioha, Vannesa (June 16, 2019). "STEVE GUKAS: Making Nollywood's Legacy Project". Premium Times. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  3. ^ Nwogu, Precious 'Mamazeus' (2021-11-15). "Steve Gukas is back on set, confirms new production in the works". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  4. ^ Iwenwanne, Valentine (December 5, 2019). "SHE WANTS TO PREVENT NIGERIANS FROM BLEEDING TO DEATH". Ozy. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "'93 Days' casting call for actors in Lagos". Pulse Nigeria. December 6, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  6. ^ Esene, Isime (September 24, 2016). "PODCAST: Why Steve Gukas is very afraid for the future of Nollywood, and why you should probably be scared too". YNaija. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "Why '93 Days' is one of the most important movies ever made". Ventures Africa. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. ^ Olowoyo, Ghaniyah (October 1, 2020). "NigeriaAt60: Seven movies that tell Nigeria's history". Premium Times. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  9. ^ Jones, Emma (April 4, 2020). "Plagues, zombies and vampires: How Hollywood handles deadly viruses". BBC News. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  10. ^ Kazeem, Yomi (January 8, 2016). "A movie based on the life of Nigeria's Ebola heroine is getting flak from her family". QuartzAfrica. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  11. ^ Okechukwu, Daniel (October 15, 2019). "EBOLA CRISIS-INSPIRED DRAMA '93 DAYS' IS COMING TO NETFLIX THIS OCTOBER". Culture Custodian. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  12. ^ Okechukwu, Daniel (March 4, 2020). "The Best Nollywood Films Streaming on Netflix Right Now". Okay Africa. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Chatterjee, Saibal (March 30, 2020). "Your Netflix Bragging Rights List: 15 Must-See Films Hiding In Plain Sight". NDTV. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  14. ^ "Nollywood Shines Under the Hollywood Stars". Globe Newswire. March 27, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  15. ^ Garcia, Claudia (March 27, 2020). "COVID-19: 'The Flu', 'Pandemic' and other coronavirus related films on Netflix". En As. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  16. ^ Ramachandran, Avinash (June 7, 2020). "'Our films will make the world see why Africa is special'". Cinema Express. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  17. ^ Stein, Chris (September 15, 2016). "Outbreak Gets Nollywood Treatment". VOA. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  18. ^ "Danny Glover applaud's 93 days and Nollywood at Chicago filmfest". Guardian. November 5, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  19. ^ "African filmmakers discuss the state of African cinema". Brand South Africa. March 7, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  20. ^ Ganiu, Olaitan (August 30, 2020). "Nigerian celebs urge govt to open cinemas". The Nation. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  21. ^ Mamaze, Precious (April 22, 2020). "Top 10 producers changing the Nollywood narrative". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  22. ^ Dede, Steve (July 2, 2020). "2020 AMVCA: Check out the full nominees' list". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  23. ^ "Gloria Sarfo speaks on AMVCA nomination". Ghana Web. February 8, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  24. ^ "EVENTS#AMVCA7: It was All Fun at the Clorets Booth". Bella Naija. April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  25. ^ Kudita, Admire (March 20, 2020). "Glamorous African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards". Zimbabwe Independent. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
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