Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has revealed that ‘Everybody Loves Jenifa’ is the most expensive film she has produced, citing the cost of filming in Ghana and Nigeria and transporting cast and crew across borders.
The 49-year-old actress disclosed this during an interview with CNN Africa journalist, Larry Madowo, which started trending on Monday, where she shared insights on her career in filmmaking, success recorded and personal experiences.
Akindele said filming at the Safari Valley Resort in Ghana, alongside the logistics of moving her production team between the two countries, significantly increased the film’s production expenses.
“Everybody Loves Jenifa is a very expensive film because we went to Ghana. We filmed in Ghana and Nigeria. We flew all the cast and crew to Ghana. We filmed in Safari Valley Resort. That is a very expensive place to film,” she said.
The filmmaker also explained that she prefers constructing sets specifically for her productions rather than relying on existing locations or people’s homes.
“I build my set by myself. I don’t go to people’s houses to shoot. I create my set myself. I would rent out a place, or buy a place and start constructing my set there,” she added.
Despite the high production costs, Akindele said the film performed successfully in cinemas and on streaming platforms, although she did not disclose its production budget or earnings from digital distribution.
