Nollywood, and the Missing Art of Sex and Intimacy.

Imagine Natse Jemide and Chioma Chukwuka in a dark Dom/Sub thriller

The Nigerian movie scene has come a long way. From the grainy visuals of Old Nollywood, to the crisp, cinematic shots we now see in cinemas, Netflix drops, and even Amazon Prime releases (Breath of Life, comes to Mind), progress in the Nigerian movie sector is undeniable.

However there’s one area that still needs improvement, and that’s sex and intimacy on screen.

But, I acknowledge that we’ve grown. There was a time when seeing even the tiniest kiss in a Nigerian film felt like seeing snow, fall in Jos( almost impossible). These days though we actually see actors kissing, smooching, dry humping, and (sometimes), even more than a cheeky flash of skin. That’s Progress!

And that’s the thing… intimacy isn’t just about how much skin you show. It’s deeper than that.

Intimacy Is More Than Skin

Intimacy is in the eyes. It’s in the slow, but deliberate parting of lips. It’s in the way a character subconsciously licks their lips when they see the person they want. It’s the shy, nervous brush of fingers when two lovers in a movie finally hold hands.

It’s also in dialogue;

“I would stand with you between the heavens and the earth… Do you love me?”

That’s intimacy.

Intimacy is in the way rio looks Elizabeth deep in the eyes and says “hey mama”, in Good girls.

Or Fitz and Olivia in Scandal. The way he steps in close to make his point, and she immediately steps back as though if she doesn’t, she’ll drown in his gaze. That’s intimacy.

Even in Nollywood, Blood Sisters gave us some of the best sexual chemistry in recent memory. The way Yinka and Femi connected, You could tell that an intimacy coordinator was on set.

Intimacy is when an actor holds their lover back from leaving, whispers “Just sit here in silence with me, please don’t leave me”. Tell me that line isn’t giving “awwn 🥺?” That’s intimacy.

Nollywood’s Bad Habit: Rushing Intimacy

Something I’ve come to notice from my years of watching Nigerian movies is that many movies don’t build intimacy, they skip straight to action. You’re watching a movie, and 20 minutes in, the leads are kissing.

Like… Howw? From where to where? Where’s the flirting? The lustful glances? The tension, the build up, the slow burn?

And that’s part of why Nollywood desperately needs intimacy coordinators.

What Exactly Is an Intimacy Coordinator?

An intimacy coordinator is a trained professional in film, TV, and theatre who;

• Ensures intimate scenes are carried out safely, respectfully, and consensually amongst the actors.

• Work with the actors to choreograph intimacy, so it’s in line with the director's creative vision.

• Coaches actors on how to embody their characters’s emotions well.

You can Think of intimacy coordinators as directors of vulnerability. They help actors communicate lust, love, longing etc, all without anyone feeling unsafe.

Some actors are really good when it comes to saying their lines, but when the script calls for something else, say… a lustful stare, a butterfly in your belly expression…, Some actors are lost, or they try and their acting just comes off as cringe, or funny.

And this is not entirely their fault. These aspects of production are not something a general director might be able to direct properly, that is why professionals who specialize in the art of intimacy are best to be present to direct the actors, to let them know it’s okay to show their vulnerability while the camera is rolling, to be raw, to teach the actors how to reach deep into their own personal memories, and to make us, the audience, believe it, fall for the acting so hard it stirs something in us. so viewers can tweet things like: “ look at how he looks at her, like she is the only one in the room. I want someone to look at me that way too”, after they see a Nigerian movie.

With the use of intimacy coordinators Nollywood can make really good movies that centers on sexual relationships, like Hollywood’s Baby girl;

Now, imagine Natse Jemide (the hot boy in far from home), and Chioma Chukuka, in a physiological thriller - fucked up Dom/Sub relationship. By day he’s just an NYSC corper serving in Chioma's company where she’s the CEO, but by night, she bends her back in interesting positions, just because he orders her to.

How interesting does that sound?

Nollywood has the potential to create such International Blockbuster Movies, with the use of Intimacy Coordinators.

Beyond the kiss: Why Nollywood desperately Needs Intimacy Coordinators.

Osas Ighodaro revealed on The Culture League podcast that she was shocked during her first Nollywood kissing scene, because the actor randomly used tongue, without prior discussion.

Now, in professional acting, tongue while kissing, doesn’t just happen. It’s agreed upon by both actors, but without an intimacy coordinator on set… Boundaries can get crossed.

Thankfully, Nigeria already has a pioneer, Yeside Olayinka-Agbola, the country’s first intimacy coordinator, who worked on season 5 of MTV Shuga Naija. So intimacy coordinators in nollywood though new, isn’t unheard of, it just needs to become the standard.

The Call to Action.

Hollywood now makes intimacy coordinators mandatory on movie sets. Nollywood is growing rapidly, our global audience is expanding, but our storytelling can’t keep skipping these crucial details.

Producers, directors, actors (and everyone involved in making a film), this is the call; Hire INTIMACY COORDINATORS, Advocate for them. Normalize their presence on sets.

Because intimacy on screen is more than kissing or touching, it’s the heartbeat of romance. It’s what makes us believe in the story, feel the tension, tweet “God when?”, and it’s what makes us stream the entire movie again, and again, just to rewatch that very scene a hundred times.

Nollywood is rising, but if we want to keep audiences hooked, we need to master the art of intimacy. And that starts with the right professionals guiding the story.