Kunle Remi, acclaimed for his role in the Netflix series Anikulapo, recently shared his views on what truly defines a film as worthy of being called cinema.
In an interview with Hiptv News, the actor argued that not all films labeled as cinematic genuinely meet the standards of cinema. He noted that both audiences and filmmakers often mistake television-quality productions for cinematic ones, indicating a widespread lack of understanding about what truly constitutes an authentic cinematic experience.
“Not everybody understands what cinema is. I don’t think a lot of people understand it in the first place, that is why you have a low-budget film put in the cinemas when it’s not even cinema-worthy. And you see people come for you. There is a difference between a cinematic film and a film for TV, “ he said.
During the discussion, Kunle further noted that Kunle Afolayan, the director of Anikulapo, produces films with significant cinematic value, suggesting that he may not excel as a television director if placed in that environment.
“The moment Nigerians and filmmakers understand that we won’t be having this conversation. Kunle Afolayan for example, does cinema if you look at the quality of his project, the style and effort put into it are cinema. If he does TV films, he might not do so great because he is probably focused or trained to do cinema films,” he added.
As an actor, Kunle highlighted his ability to discern when a film is hastily produced and poorly executed. He observed that some filmmakers may categorize these works as cinema-worthy, yet he can readily identify when they do not meet the necessary standards.
“TV films are maybe cable films or online TVs and you can tell this was done in 5 days. I’m an actor and I can tell. Sometimes I’m doing a film and they tell me, it’s for the cinemas and I laugh. I know I’m not supposed to but, it’s funny,” he said.
Nevertheless, he clarified that he does not intend to dissuade emerging filmmakers who are still honing their skills. Instead, he encouraged them to embrace constructive criticism of their work without taking offense.
“I can’t discourage anyone cos it might be a starting point for some people do not be angry if people come for you or movie lovers share opinions of your film or critics talk about it cos you can’t then compare it to a Hollywood production,” he concluded.
Remi achieved fame following his triumph in the seventh edition of Gulder Ultimate Search in 2010. Shortly thereafter, he embarked on his acting career. He has featured in a variety of films, such as Ijakumo, Falling, A Naija Christmas, Introducing the Kujus, and The Prophetess.