Nollywood, Sony Pictures join forces for TV series on all-female African army
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)A first time collaboration between an American TV production studio and Nollywood has been announced.
Sony Pictures Television will co-develop three TV projects -- including a series on a 19th-century all-female African force -- with Nigerian network EbonyLife, one of the biggest TV networks on the continent.
The announced TV show is inspired by the story of the Dahomey Warriors, an all-female West African military group.
It will be set in the Kingdom of Dahomey and tell the story of how the women protect their nation.
Nigerian filmmaker Femi Odugbemi applauded the deal. He told CNN, "It's the first time I think a global company, or a company with a global footprint, is coming to the table, not just to give crumbs but to actually to try to collaborate in a way that expands opportunity for creating (stories) of African descent."
In a statement Mo Abudu, Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our vision has always been to change the narrative about Africa and to tell our stories from our perspective."
The deal comes after a boom in interest for African stories in TV and Film.
Marvel's "Black Panther," set in a fictional African nation Wakanda, has been major global hit smashing the $1 billion box office mark. The film features an all-female force, the Dora Milaje.
