Akinmolayan voiced his frustration in a strongly worded post shared on Instagram, where he claimed that several cinemas listed Colors of Fire on their websites and ticketing platforms, only for patrons to be told on arrival that the film was not showing. According to him, this practice amounts to deception and unfair treatment of both filmmakers and audiences.
The filmmaker warned that he would publicly identify the offending cinemas and their managers if the issue was not resolved promptly. He stated that he already had evidence involving at least three cinemas and made it clear that he was prepared to escalate the matter if corrective action was not taken by the end of the day.
While acknowledging that cinemas have the discretion to choose which films they screen and how they schedule their showtimes, Akinmolayan stressed that such autonomy does not justify misleading customers. He argued that cinemas are within their rights to decline screening a film altogether, but once tickets are sold, they have an obligation to honour the purchase.
“It’s deliberate and it’s wicked,” he wrote, expressing anger over what he described as a calculated attempt to exploit moviegoers. He added that forcing people to buy tickets, travel to the cinema, and then informing them that the film is unavailable crosses an ethical line.
The incident has sparked broader conversations online about accountability within the cinema distribution system and the challenges filmmakers face even after completing and releasing their projects. As audiences and industry stakeholders await a response from the cinemas involved, the controversy underscores growing calls for greater transparency and consumer protection in Nigeria’s film exhibition sector.