TIPTOPSTARS

From all indications, Cameroon will sooner than imagined, be celebrating what is already conjectured, within film circles, to be the biggest movie project done by its diaspora. The said movie whose title is yet to be disclosed, will be solely produced by  the National Actors’ Guild of Cameroon, NAGCAM-USA.

The project had been discussed preliminarily on the heels of the coming into office of a new administration, but a final decision on it was taken at an enlarged meeting in Maryland this Saturday, April 11, 2015.

According to NAGCAM-USA, the movie whose story is written by actress Taka Tanni (also heading the project) will have an entirely Cameroonian cast and crew. “We are strict on that because we are starting a new era in the African film landscape during which time, we intend to show the world how much we count in the art of acting,” Terence N. Limona, NAGCAM-USA branch president told TIPTOPSTARS.

Also justifying the decision to embark on such a huge project, the NAGCAM-USA guild boss said his group has negotiated a sharp bend in the tedious journey of the growth of the Cameroonian film industry. Hear Limona: “We have ceased being a guild that only talks – we have now subscribed to action.” “We want to provide a good reason for actors to want to belong and can only do that in the way we know best.”

That best way, NAGCAM-USA agreed, is by producing a movie that will exceptionally have all its members in the cast displaying their inert talents.

On her part, the project’s coordinator, Taka Tanni explained that she is very excited, but at the same time has her heart giving a lot of room to anxiety. “I call it a sovereign responsibility and will take it a seriously like I never did before,” she told TIPTOPSTARS. “I understand how heavy the load is, but the love I have for Cameroon and the support I’m going to get from the NAGCAM-USA, will be enough to inspire me,” said the actress with a huge film count to her credit.

Taka told us that the script is well crafted to suit the context of the movie – a huge cast. It’s not been decided yet who will do what especially as far as the crew is concerned, but working with several Cameroonian directors at a blow is not rolled out. “We want everyone to bring forth their ideas and believe that coming together as a large group would work to our favour,” she explained.

Despite the fact that the movie will be an everybody’s thing (financed by the entire group), Taka cautioned, roles will be dished out as they fit into the skills of those to perform them. “It’s going to be a measuring rod project, so we are bound to correct some of the wrongs we have regularly been frowned at for committing in our movies,” said the actress.

When the movie project will kick off, where exactly it will be shot, how much money will be turned in to run its cost, are what we will be informed about in the next couple of days. But according to Limona, the NAGCAM-USA movie will be ready for consumption this summer. “We can assure you on that,” he stated.

This project comes after the kick-off of a similar one announced by Cameroon Film Industry, CFI in 2014, is still being awaited. The said project was the idea of Chad-based Cameroonian producer Fred Kenyanti.

On another score, participants at the NAGCAM-USA meeting decided that the group will create an emergency fund to henceforth provide much-needed support when an industry colleague becomes challenged by health issues or gets into some difficulty. Accountability and transparency will be primordial, they agreed.

Also, NAGCAM-USA will spearhead the creation of a website on which film industry information will be displayed.

The Maryland meeting comes less than two months after a new bureau was voted in to henceforth manage the affairs of NAGCAM-USA. To the group’s pilot, the success of the MD meeting is a signal that the group is bent on giving the industry a bright coloration. “I’m quite satisfied, not only with the attendance, but with the fruitful deliberations we had. I saw the zeal in my actors, the determination, committed spirit and that tell me that we are ready to succeed. I’m a proud president,” Limona explained.

To Nathalie Bih, Treasurer and Beatrice Nwana, Secretary, the maiden come-together was a satisfactory beginning and will act as a great motivation to both bureau members. “We have a group we can count on and will give in our best to compensate our actors for this newfound spirit of determination. Kudos to the actors,” Nwana said.