Showmax spotlights Emem Isong-Misodi: The award-winning producer lighting the way for others

Emem Isong-Misodi is an award-winning Nollywood screenwriter, producer, and director. After graduating from the University of Calabar with a degree in theatre arts, she ventured into filmmaking at a time when it was not fashionable, especially for women. 

She’d always loved films and knew that was what she wanted to do, but the journey there wasn’t easy. She had to lie to her parents about her chosen course of study when she was going to university. Then, after school, she had to take a giant leap of faith, quitting her bank job to produce her first film. 

In 1994, she launched her own production company, Theatre Images, wrote and co-produced Jezebel. Since then, she has not looked back but has produced several award-winning movies. Her very first solo production was for the film Breaking Point (1996). She then went on to work with Remmy Jez for eight years as a producer on his movies until 2008, when she decided to end their working relationship. That same year, she co-produced the hit movie Reloaded.

Emem Isong-Misodi has done so much for other women through film, including helping to launch the careers of some of Nollywood A-listers like Stephanie Okereke and Dakore Egbuson-Akande. She’s also told powerful stories about women’s struggles, like her 2015 film Code of Silence. The movie talks about rape in Nigeria and stars Makida Moka, Patience Ozokwor, Ini Edo, and Omoni Oboli.

Some of Emem’s most prominent movies include Emotional Crack, Critical Decision (winner of the AMAA Best Actress and Best Actor of the Year Award), Games Women Play, Behind Closed Doors, Games Men Play, Special Jollof, Ayamma, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Girls In The Hood, Private Sin, and more.

Besides being an unstoppable filmmaker, Emem also gives back to the new generation of Nollywood through her film academy, the Royal Arts Academy. The media school teaches young people how to act, write scripts, and edit films. It also has a production arm and a film distribution/marketing section. Through the academy, she has produced several award-winning movies such as Guilty Pleasures, Bursting Out, Kiss & Tell, I’ll Take My Chances, Weekend Getaway,  Lagos Cougars, Apaye; A Mother’s Love, Champagne, Body Language, and others.

Emem Isong-Misodi, who has done great work internationally and domestically, has won several awards from City Peoples and Best of Nollywood’s Best Producer of the Year to ZAFAA and Eloy Awards’ Best Producer. 

With more than 80 movies to her name and 28 years of being a writer, producer, and director, Emem Isong-Misodi is far from done telling African stories. In her words, “I believe in satisfying the African audience first – not just Nigerians but Africans in the diaspora. We are not telling enough African stories. Probably, because of the fear of box office failure. However, I believe if we tell those stories very well and from the heart, and well-executed and interpreted by good, believable characters; most importantly, well marketed and distributed, they would do well.”