Pirated ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun’ Movie Flood Lagos Streets, Internet

First Weekly can confirm that the recently released Nigerian film, ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun (HOAYS), an adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel with the same title, has been pirated by some film sellers in Lagos.

Also, the high budget movie has been put on the internet for free download.

Checks conducted by First Weekly revealed that the film is now being sold on the streets of Lagos at the rate of N150.

The film was finally allowed to be screen in Nigeria On August 1, 2014 after the Censors Board delayed its approval over concerns about some scenes in the movie.

HOAYS centres on the Nigerian civil war, also known as the Biafran War, which took place from July 6, 1967 to January 15, 1970. It is a story of love, lust, jealousy, greed and it brings to light the effects of war on the lives of everyone it touches.

Findings by us also showed that some Nigerian websites have uploaded the film on their platforms for visitors to download free of charge.

Since its release, the flick has set a new first weekend box office record in Nigeria. The record came from showing the movie in 15 cinemas across Nigeria in its first three days with Lagos cinemas topping the chart.

According to the C.E.O of FilmOne Distribution, Kene Mkparu, the distributors of the movie; “we have always maintained that the success of ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ is the success of Nollywood. If ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ succeeds and from the figures we have, it will succeed, it signifies success for Nollywood. It is our belief that if a film is well done, the Nigerian audience would respond to it and drive its success. ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ is a movie about Nigeria and we believe that Nigerians will drive its success. We are delighted that the Nigerian public has turned out in full force to support the film. We want to urge everyone, who has seen this film to go back and see it again and encourage others to see it.”

The movie features BAFTA award winner and Oscar nominee; Chiwetel Ejiofor, BAFTA award winner Thandie Newton, Onyeka Onwenu, Genevieve Nnaji, O.C. Ukeje, and Zack Orji.

It was written and directed by Biyi Bandele and it has been screened at film festivals around the world, and is already winning several awards, and has been enjoying release in major international territories including the UK, US and Australia, with plans to release it across Africa, Latin America and Europe.