“Most Producers Do Not Understand What Cinema Is; Not Every Movie Is Cinema-Worthy,” Actor Kunle Remi Reveals.

Kunle Remi, widely recognized for his role in the Netflix series Anikulapo, recently shared his thoughts on what truly defines a film as worthy of being called cinema. In an interview with Hiptv News, Remi expressed his concern that many films labeled as "cinematic" often do not meet the true standards of cinema.

Remi argued that both audiences and filmmakers frequently confuse television-quality productions with cinematic experiences, reflecting a widespread misunderstanding of what cinema really is. "Not everybody understands what cinema is. I don’t think a lot of people understand it in the first place; that’s why you have low-budget films put in cinemas when they’re not even cinema-worthy," he said. He emphasized the distinction between a cinematic film and one meant for television.

During the interview, Remi praised Anikulapo director Kunle Afolayan for his work, noting that Afolayan excels in producing films with significant cinematic value. He suggested that Afolayan might not perform as well in television because his skills are more suited to cinema. "Kunle Afolayan does cinema. If you look at the quality of his projects, the style and effort put into them are cinema. If he does TV films, he might not do so great because he is probably focused or trained to do cinema films," Remi added.

As an actor, Remi pointed out that he can easily recognize when a film has been hastily produced and lacks the necessary quality to be considered cinema-worthy. "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," he shared.

However, Remi clarified that his intention is not to discourage emerging filmmakers. Instead, he encouraged them to accept constructive criticism as a means of improving their craft. "I can’t discourage anyone because it might be a starting point for some people. Don’t be angry if movie lovers or critics share opinions of your film, because you can’t compare it to a Hollywood production," he concluded.

Kunle Remi first gained fame after winning the seventh edition of Gulder Ultimate Search in 2010. He then transitioned to acting, featuring in numerous films including Ijakumo, Falling, A Naija Christmas, Introducing the Kujus, and The Prophetess.