Nigerian Prince is a coming of age story and a heist thriller. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, it uncovers the hidden world of “Nigerian Prince” email scams. In the photo above, listed left to right, are actor Chinaza Uche, filmmaker Faraday Okoro, and actor Antonio J. Bell at the Tribeca Film Festival red carpet in Manhattan.
The story is based on an advance-fee fraud where a supposed Nigerian prince emails you that he will share his million dollars—or more—if you can help him with the bank fees by sending him $10,000. Then, once you’re hooked, there will be additional emails sent to you that contain even more cockamamie reasons why you will need to send the scammer more money before your big payoff of the cool mil.
It’s hard to believe that anyone is so gullible that they fall for it—but they do.

Nigerian Prince will have its theatrical release tonight.

In April, AT&T awarded its second $1 million winners, Sasie Sealy and Angela Cheng. Their film, Lucky Grandma, will have its world premiere screening during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival next April. Both films will also run on DirecTV NOW.
AT&T and the Tribeca Film Festival are giving filmmakers another shot at $1 million to make a movie as part of the AT&T Presents: Untold Stories program, a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca, along with the year-round nonprofit Tribeca Film Institute. Aspiring filmmakers can submit their scripts between now and Nov. 19 for their chance to compete and become the third $1 million recipient of AT&T’s Untold Stories program. To submit your script and to view official program rules and regulations, please visit TribecaFilmInstitute.org/ATTUntoldStories.

Filmmaker Faraday Okoro

Faraday Okoro, a New York City based Nigerian-American filmmaker, wrote and directed Nigerian Prince. The movie had its premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Okoro received a $1 million grant from AT&T to produce this film.
 

See more Red Carpet photos here.

Chinaza Uche—who is even more captivating in person—plays Pius, Eze’s ne’er-do-well cousin, a full-time scammer. Newcomer Uche gave a flawless and nuanced performance as a pitiable character despite his perfect looks and seductive charm. Despite his big talk as self-appointed scamming mentor to Eze, Pius leads an empty, lonely, life of quiet desperation.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.
— Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854).

Throughout the film, there are moments where you’ll catch Pius looking like he has been haunted for years with despair. Actor Uche has gives a performance with a full range and  conveys so much with just his eyes.
The film has everything: strong plot that you haven’t seen before, great dialogue, excellent acting, a surprising amount of humor and plenty of substance.

My rating: 5 stars

All photos © 2018 Dorri Olds

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Covering a red carpet takes a certain kind of journalist: a masochist. Why? Because they’re jam-packed with paparazzi — mostly from Getty and other agencies — and a few rogue freelancers like me. There’s a ton of pushing and shoving from the photographers. I’m still recuperating from last month.
Doing press for Tribeca Film Festival in New York City every year is incredibly fun … and exhausting. Red carpets are intense. The 6-feet-tall guys from Getty try to shove me out of the way. I’m 5’2″ but manage to stand my ground. Then all of the Screenings! Interviews! Articles! It is always worth every second. Indies are a treat. They’re original, artistic and written for smart people, unlike your typical blockbuster. I’ve always been so impressed by co-founder Jane Rosenthal. She’s championed female filmmakers since the festival began.
At the end of each festival is an anniversary of a classic movie. This year it was the testosterone-heavy mob movie but what a classic film.

The 25th Anniversary of ‘Goodfellas’

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While many stars have a love-hate relationship with the blinding flashes and distracting hyper clicks of cameras, Alice Cooper seems fine as he walks down the red carpet inside the Chelsea Cinema for the premiere of the Tribeca Film Festival rockumentary “Super Duper Alice Cooper.”

Tribeca Film Festival

Red Carpet

Photographers shout, “Look here, Alice! Look here!” It’s hard to believe this man has been living the grueling life of a touring rock icon for five decades. As I snap his picture, Alice says, “So many people get me confused with Johnny Depp. The resemblance is amazing.” Then he grinned.

Super Duper Alice Cooper

Alice looks like other surviving rockers, with lines of battle all over his still-lovable face. Dyed black hair hangs long past his shoulders. He keeps it teased up, rock ‘n’ roll style. Alice is sporting a black leather jacket and a leather band choker holding a black ball snug to his neck. Its position is right below Alice’s Adam’s apple.

Underneath the choker, the flash bulbs light up a heavy silver chain. It’s partly obscured by the rocker’s white button-down shirt, which is open at the color. ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy‘ looks every bit like rock royalty. His arm is linked with his stunning wife, Sheryl. But quickly his handlers pull him away so he can pose solo for the crowd.

Rockumentary

Super Duper Cooper Doc

“I’m used to playing a heavy character in a film,” he tells me. “But, usually it’s not about me. I get to play the bad guy, the villain – this was different. And interesting. They came to me and said, ‘We want to do a documentary that is as theatrical as your characters.’

Go Ask Alice

Super Duper Alice Cooper becomes animated while talking about the film. “They zeroed in on a Jekyll and Hyde sort of thing,” he says. “Because that really is my career.  I’m the nice guy here talking to you and I’m the guy on stage — two entirely different people. It’s not your normal documentary, not a talking-heads kind of movie.”

Mr. Nice Guy

When asked how he feels about the manic flashing cameras, he says, “It doesn’t bother me one bit. I feel much more comfortable on a stage with a mic than I do off stage. So that’s never a problem.” Then he sighs. “I think it’s sitting up and talking about yourself for 30 hours that’s hard. After a while you get sick of yourself and want to say, ‘Let’s talk about you for a while.’”

See also: Tribeca Film Festival 5-Star Favorite

It’s the star’s first visit to TFF after getting back from a tour in Germany. Following the film fest hoopla, he says he’ll be heading back to Phoenix. There’s no rest for him anytime soon. Next he’s heading out for a European tour and recording an album. After that, he’ll be performing with Mötley Crüe.

What kind of music does he like? “I really haven’t had time lately to listen to anybody. I get in the car and turn on the radio just like everybody else. Whatever is on is on. With Sirius now you can find yourself locked into certain eras. You know, sometimes you listen to ’40s radio, sometimes the ’50s. Rarely do I go to modern rock because I just haven’t heard any young bands that have knocked me out yet. Classic punk and classic rock are good.”

Tribeca Film Festival in Chelsea

New York City

Tribeca Film Festival He offers his thoughts on this trip to New York City. “When I left Phoenix it was 92 degrees. When I got here, it was snowing,” he says. “So, that’s a little different but I was a New Yorker for awhile. I used to live at 72nd and York in the ’70s.”

Super Duper Talks De Niro

The rocker comments on Robert De Niro, the father of the festival. “I still like ‘Mean Streets’ and I think it was one of his best performances. I think he was winging it the whole time. Of course, I still think he is the premier American actor. Everything he does is great. And I’ll tell you what he was good in, his last movie, ‘American Hustle.’

“He was really nasty in that movie. I mean, the look he was giving them was just whoa. I thought that one scene was great. It didn’t get any mention, but that was one of the best scenes in the movie.”

As Alice makes his way down the red carpet and towards the theater, he looks out on the crowd and says, “Hello my children of the night. It’s good to see you.”

Good to see you too, Alice!

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