Nigeria’s first-ever feature-length animation film — Ladybuckit and the Motley Mopsters (LBMM) — is set to hit theatres on Friday, December 11, 2020. Hot Ticket Productions, the company behind the 3D movie, released an exciting one-minute teaser to whet the appetite of movie lovers ahead of its premiere.
Most of the storyline is still being kept under wraps. However, the movie’s website reveals that it revolves around “a precocious, self-absorbed little girl who finds herself in wildly unfamiliar territory. There, she encounters a band of highly unusual characters who change the course of her destiny.”
The teaser is raising even more questions. Who is the little boy trapped in a classroom? Is that Oloibiri (a historic community in Bayelsa state, Nigeria where crude oil was first discovered in commercial quantity in the 1950s? Are those old men playing draughts? Enthusiastic moviegoers will have all questions answered in December.
The movie boasts of industry heavyweights such as Kalu Ikeagwu, Patrick Doyle, Bimbo Akintola, Bola Edwards, and others. It will also feature fresh voices of 11 and 13-year-old Jessica and David Edwards. The movie’s original 14-tracker album was developed by popular music producer and songwriter, Clement ‘DJ Klem’ Kponu and versatile film composer, Ava Momoh.
Blessing Amidu, CEO/Founder of Hot Ticket Productions and the Executive Producer and Producer of the film, emphasised the need for an exhilarating family-focused movie to end a tough year: “Families have had to deal with a lot this year: from a global pandemic to civil unrest and economic challenges. As we approach the end of the year, it was important to provide some succour and means of escape and release, for children and the entire family. We strongly believe that Entertainment is a powerful tool for this.”
Consulting Producer and respected Nigerian filmmaker, Chris Ihidero, shared his excitement stating that: “We wanted to give families the experience of a lifetime with Nigeria at its fore and I dare say, we achieved that.”
Nigerian entertainment and media industry is estimated to hit the 10 billion-dollar mark by 2023. And Forbes has stated that African animation industry is fueling the emergence of a creative economy across the continent. It is hoped that with the release of Ladybuckit and the Motley Mopsters by Hot Ticket Productions, Nigeria will further cement its position as Africa’s leading film producer and a global force in creative storytelling and entertainment.
