Nigerian filmmaker and cinematographer Nora Awolowo has been named a brand ambassador for global imaging company Canon, just days after the premiere of Black Market set a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a film screening.
Canon announced Awolowo’s appointment on October 1, five days after Black Market drew 51,258 people to Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos on September 26. Guinness World Records officially recognised the attendance as the largest at a film screening, surpassing the previous record by almost 8,000 people.
Awolowo was one of the key filmmakers behind Black Market, serving as producer, director and director of photography on the project. The record-breaking screening was organised by Switch Visual Limited, Damilola Osikoya, Rixel Studios and Awolowo, according to Guinness World Records.
Her new relationship with Canon, however, did not begin with the record.
Canon Central and North Africa had announced a creative collaboration with Awolowo ahead of the Black Market premiere, with the filmmaker using the company’s EOS C400 cinema camera for the production. The collaboration followed Canon’s earlier work with Awolowo around Racket Queen, her short film that was also shot on the EOS C400.
The new ambassadorship therefore extends an existing relationship between the filmmaker and the imaging company from individual film projects into a broader brand partnership.
In announcing the appointment, Canon highlighted Awolowo’s contribution to film and visual storytelling, particularly her role in the record-breaking Black Market screening.
Awolowo also acknowledged the significance of the relationship, describing her journey from using Canon equipment to becoming one of the company’s ambassadors.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the journey, for every person who has believed in me, every story that has trusted me with its images, and every lesson that brought me here. From my first Canon to this moment. What a journey,” she said.
As part of the ambassadorship, Awolowo is expected to work with Canon on initiatives around imaging technology, mentorship and support for emerging visual creators across Africa.
The appointment comes at a notable point in Awolowo’s career. The Black Market record has placed her among the Nigerian filmmakers associated with one of the country’s most unusual cinema events, while the Canon partnership further connects her work as a filmmaker and cinematographer with the technology used in professional film production.
Black Market, directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and produced by Rixel Studios, had its record-breaking premiere at Tafawa Balewa Square as part of the September 26 event. Awolowo was among the producers and also served as director of photography.
The Guinness record was subsequently acknowledged by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who congratulated Awolowo and Damilola Osikoya for the achievement and described the feat as an example of the possibilities within Nigeria’s creative economy.
