Acclaimed actress Wunmi Toriola has shared her thoughts on how YouTube is affecting the Nigerian film industry and cinema culture.
As she works on her first feature film, ‘Queen Lateefah,’ Toriola noted that while YouTube is important for many filmmakers, it hasn’t taken away from the cinema experience.
“The cinema has its unique audience,” Toriola said. “Sometimes, you might think it’s the same group of people, but there’s a clear difference. You only see it when you go to the cinema, realizing there’s a dedicated audience for it.”

She explained the difference between the two platforms: “Making high-quality content for the cinema helps this market grow. Meanwhile, YouTube, especially for people abroad who can’t go to cinemas, becomes a crucial platform. Both serve different needs, but cinema is still the bigger market. That’s why many of us who have worked on YouTube are now targeting the cinema market.”

About her upcoming film, Toriola said, “‘Queen Lateefah’ is more than just a film. It’s a movement. This project has been in development for over three to four years. The YouTube version came out four years ago, but I felt the story wasn’t fully told. I’m very focused on this project, from picking the director to working with Cinemax.”
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