Emelonye offers youth acting opportunities with premiere of ‘Heart and Soul’

Obi Emelonye, award-winning filmmaker, is offering youth in the country the opportunity to join the film and television industry with the premier of ‘Heart and Soul.’

‘Heart and Soul,’ a medico-spiritual television series, premiered on Africa Magic showcase channel 150 on Tuesday.

The TV series was written, directed and produced by the veteran Nollywood film director, who is known for directing award-winning films such as ‘Last Flight to Abuja’ (2012), ‘The Mirror Boy’ (2011) and ‘Onye Ozi’ (2013).

Starting every weekday by 5.30pm (WAT), ‘Heart and Soul,’ features Anthony Monjaro, Adekola Amoo, Phoenix Ezendu and a host of new acts selected from the film workshop.

The television program was shot under the Obi Emelonye Foundation’s ‘50-50 Legacy’ project, an initiative to offer promising talents in Nigeria the opportunity to join the film and television industry.

Emelonye said the series “started with a string of film workshops in Lagos and had enlisted about 100 youths to take part in the filming as actors and crew members, with the aim of giving their aspirations the needed boost.”

He also called on interested young Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity by engaging with the television series on social media.

“When my twin brother and I turned 50, we thought of how we could give back to the society in our various fields. This is the result. I am doing mine through television I am interested in giving the opportunity to young Nigerians to realise their dreams in the audio-visual industry,” he said.

“We started at Nsukka with ‘Crazy, Lovely, Cool’ before coming to Lagos. It is usually difficult for the young ones to get that very first opportunity. That is what we intend to bridge with this project.”

The TV series has been described by critics as ‘Grey’s Anatomy set in Lagos with African mystery’.