Tope Oshin

{{short description|Nigerian television and film director, producer, and casting director}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Use Nigerian English|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Tope Oshin

| image = Tope Oshin.jpg

| caption = Oshin in 2015

| occupation = Filmmaker

| years active = 1996-present

| notable_works = Shuga
Up North (film){{Cite news|url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/tope-oshin-sets-the-pace-for-female-directors-as-she-goes-up-north/|title = Tope Oshin sets the pace for female directors as she goes 'Up North'| newspaper=Tribune Online |date = 14 December 2018| last1=Online | first1=Tribune }}
The Wedding Party 2
Journey to Self
Tinsel (TV series)
Fifty

| spouse = {{unbulleted list| {{marriage|Yinka Ogun|2002|2014|reason=div}}|{{marriage|Daniel Ademinokan|2023}}}}

| website = {{url|www.topeoshin.com}}

}}

Tope Oshin{{Audio|Yo-Tope_Oshin.ogg|Listen|help=no}} is a Nigerian television and film director, producer and casting director, listed as one of the most influential Nigerians in film in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://ynaija.com/ynaija-presents-the-100-most-influential-nigerians-in-film-in-2019/|title = YNaija presents: The 100 most influential Nigerians in Film in 2019 » YNaija|date = November 2019}}

In 2015 Pulse magazine named her as one of "9 Nigerian female movie directors you should know" in the Nollywood film industry.{{cite web|url=http://pulse.ng/movies/nollywood-9-nigerian-female-movie-directors-you-should-know-id4231520.html|title=9 Nigerian female movie directors you should know|date=5 October 2015|publisher=Pulse|accessdate=20 September 2016}} In March 2018, in commemoration of the Women's History Month, Tope was celebrated by OkayAfrica as one of the Okay100 Women.{{cite web|url=https://100women.okayafrica.com/film-tv-articles/2018/2/28/tope-oshin|title=TOPE OSHIN-OkayAfrica's 100 Women|publisher=OkayAfrica|accessdate=1 March 2018}} The interactive campaign celebrates extraordinary women from Africa and the diaspora making waves across a wide array of industries, while driving positive impact in their communities and the world at large.

Early life and education

Tope hails from a devout Christian family. As a child, she engaged in drawing, singing, and dancing, and had aspirations to be a painter. She studied Economics at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, and then Theatre Arts, TV & Film Production at Lagos State University.{{cite web|url=http://thenationonlineng.net/amaka-igwe-encouraged-me-to-go-into-directing-nollywood-star-tope-oshin-ogun/|title=Amaka Igwe encouraged me to go into directing —Nollywood star Tope Oshin Ogun|date=30 August 2014|publisher=The Nation|accessdate=20 September 2016}} She became more interested in filmmaking and later studied Film Production, and Cinematography at Colorado Film School of the Community College of Aurora, Denver,{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/hooray-for-nollywood-how-women-are-taking-on-the-world-s-third-largest-film-industry-1.2870650|newspaper=The Irish Times|title=Hooray for Nollywood: how women are taking on the world's third largest film industry|date=16 November 2016|accessdate=15 December 2016}} and Met Film School, Ealing Studios, London respectively.

Tope is also an alumnus of 'Talents Durban' {{cite web|url=https://www.omenkaonline.com/tope-oshin-the-rise-of-a-female-filmmaker|title=Tope Oshin - The Rise Of A Female Filmmaker|date=13 October 2016|publisher=Omenka Online|accessdate=13 October 2016}} and Berlinale Talents,{{cite web|url=https://www.berlinale-talents.de/bt/talent/temitope-ogun/profile|title=Tope Oshin - Berlinale Talents}}{{cite news|url=http://www.pressreader.com/nigeria/thisday/20150222/282157879692937|title=Four For Berlinale Talents|newspaper=ThisDay|accessdate=22 February 2015}} a networking summit of select outstanding creatives from the world of film and drama series across the globe.

Career

Tope, who was an actor for 12 years, featuring in films like Relentless (2010 film), before veering into directing, working as an associate producer and assistant director for The Apprentice Africa. and has since become known for directing popular African TV dramas and soap operas such as Hush, Hotel Majestic, Tinsel (TV series) and MTV Shuga.{{cite news|url=http://thenet.ng/mtv-shuga-season-6-launches-africa-lagos-premiere/|publisher=The Net NG|title=MTV Shuga Season 6 launches in Africa|date=23 February 2018|accessdate=23 February 2018}}

Though she has directed and produced several introspective short film projects such as The Young Smoker, Till Death Do Us Part, New Horizons and Ireti, she is known best for her highly successful 2018 feature film releases Up North (film),{{Cite web|url=http://culturecustodian.com/tope-oshins-up-north-is-coming-to-netflix-this-october/|title = Tope Oshin's up North is Coming to Netflix this October|date = 4 October 2019}} and New Money.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7493184/|publisher=IMDB|title=New Money (2018)}}

Oshin has produced some of the highest box office breaking movies in Nigeria, including the 2015 romantic film Fifty,{{cite web|url=http://pulse.ng/movies/tope-oshin-ogun-fifty-producer-shares-the-key-to-becoming-a-successful-filmmaker-id4717778.html|title="Fifty" producer shares the key to becoming a successful filmmaker|date=23 February 2016|publisher=Pulse|accessdate=20 September 2016}} about four fifty-year-old female Lagos residents, which broke box office records upon release in December 2015, taking N20 million in the first weekend.{{cite web|url=http://pulse.ng/movies/fifty-nigerian-movie-breaks-box-office-record-makes-n20m-in-holiday-weekend-id4509523.html|title=Nigerian movie breaks box office record, makes N20m in holiday weekend|publisher=Pulse|date=30 December 2015|accessdate=20 September 2016}} and The Wedding Party 2, as at 2018, the highest grossing Nigerian film.{{cite news|url=http://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/movies/the-wedding-party-2-is-the-highest-grossing-nollywood-movie-id7879784.html|publisher=Pulse|title=The Wedding Party 2 - Sequel becomes Highest Grossing Nollywood Movie Of all Time|date=23 January 2018|accessdate=23 January 2018}}

In 2016, she produced and directed the documentary, Amaka's Kin: The Women Of Nollywood, as a memorial to prominent filmmaker Amaka Igwe, who died in 2014. The documentary addresses issues facing Nigerian female directors, working in a male-dominated industry.{{cite web|url=http://pulse.ng/movies/amakas-kin-tope-oshin-to-debut-documentary-on-women-of-nollywood-id5199011.html|title=Tope Oshin to debut documentary on women of Nollywood|date=27 June 2016|publisher=Pulse|accessdate=20 September 2016}}

As a follow-up to her documentary, in 2017, and as part of the BBC 100 Women season, Tope celebrated the new generation of women filmmakers reinventing Nollywood, by presenting the BBC documentary Nigeria-Shooting It Like A Woman.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswbm0|title=BBC World Service - The Documentary, Nigeria: Shooting It Like A Woman|publisher=BBC World Service}}

Apart from the BBC World Service documentary, Tope's Amaka's Kin - The Women Of Nollywood also influenced a lot of other TV shows and literary works alike, including Niran Adedokun's book Ladies Calling the Shots.{{cite news|url=http://pmexpressng.com/ladies-calling-shots-book-female-directors-launch-lagos|title=Ladies Calling The Shots - Book on Female Directors For Launch in Lagos|date=17 July 2015|accessdate=17 July 2015}}

Oshin racked up some controversy in Nigeria,{{Cite web|date=27 October 2018|title=Tope Oshin's 'We Don't Live Here Anymore' Rattles Nollywood|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/10/27/tope-oshins-we-dont-live-here-anymore-rattles-nollywood/|access-date=3 January 2022|website=THISDAYLIVE|language=en-US}} when she co-wrote, directed and produced the Queer film We Don't Live Here Anymore (2018 film){{Cite web|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/movies/we-dont-live-here-anymore-watch-trailer-for-new-nigerian-gay-themed-movie/qeq4svd|title=Watch trailer for new Nigerian gay-themed movie|date=8 May 2018}} for human rights organization TIERs (The Initiative For Equal Rights) in 2018. The movie was not accepted for a cinema release and received only a limited online release{{Cite web|url=https://myfilmhouse.ng/watch-online/we-dont-live-here-anymore/|title = Tenaa.TV}} with FilmOne Distribution in 2018. We Don't Live Here Anymore however screened at Africa In Motion Film Festival{{Cite web|url=http://2018.africa-in-motion.org.uk/festival/glasgow/event/310.html|title = We Don't Live Here Anymore}} in Glasgow, and also racked up a lot of nominations and awards{{Cite web|url=https://ynaija.com/bon-awards-2018-tope-oshins-we-dont-live-here-anymore-wins-best-movie-of-the-year/|title = BON Awards 2018: Tope Oshin's 'We Don't Live Here Anymore' wins Best Movie of the Year » YNaija|date = 10 December 2018}} surprisingly at 2018 Best Of Nollywood Awards in Nigeria. The film can be found currently on Amazon.

Tope also has a thriving career as a Casting director and has cast for several film and television projects including all 3 Nigerian seasons of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation drama series Shuga{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2577388/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ql_1|title=Shuga(TV Series) - Full Cast & Crew|website=IMDb}}

Tope, through her company Sunbow Productions [ng], was commissioned to produce{{Cite web|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/29/tope-oshin-to-produce-new-mtv-shuga-series/|title = Tope Oshin to Produce New MTV Shuga Series|date = 29 March 2019}} Season 8 of MTV Shuga (TV Series), dubbed MTV Shuga Naija 4, and is credited{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2577388/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm|title=Shuga (TV Series 2009– ) - IMDb|website=IMDb}} as Head Director, Showrunner, Executive Producer and Producer, after directing and casting Season 6 of the show in 2017.

In 2015 Tope served as a juror for the International Emmy Award for the first time.{{cite news|url=http://thenationonlineng.net/ebonylife-tv-hosts-emmy-awards-judging-event/|title=EbonyLife hosts Emmy Awards Judging Event|date=17 July 2015|accessdate=17 July 2015}}

Personal life

Tope's 2002 marriage to screenwriter, Yinka Ogun, ended in 2014. The union produced four children.{{Cite web|title=Tope Oshin Biography, Movies, Marriage And Net Worth.|url=https://www.the360report.com/2020/04/19/tope-oshin-biography-marriage-and-net-worth/|last=The360reporters|date=19 April 2020|website=Latest News and Entertainment Updates|language=en-US|access-date=29 May 2020}}

Filmography

=Feature films=

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Title

! colspan="2" |Role

! rowspan="2" |Ref

Director

!Producer

2012

|Journey to Self

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|

2015

|Fifty

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|

rowspan="2" |2017

|The Wedding Party 2

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|

In Line

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{cite news|title=InLine-Tope Oshin's Amazing Film|publisher=TNS Nigeria|url=https://tns.ng/line-tope-oshin-many-wont-see-toni-kan/}}

rowspan="3" |2018

|New Money

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{cite web|title=New Money (2018)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7493184/|publisher=IMDB}}

We Don't Live Here Anymore

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{cite web|date=12 May 2018|title=Tope Oshin's New Film - We Don't Live Here Anymore|url=https://ynaija.com/tope-oshin-new-film-we-dont-live-here-anymore-is-taking-on-the-lgbt-ya-canon/|publisher=YNaija}}

Up North

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{cite web|title=Banky W to lead cast for Tope Oshin's Up North|url=http://xplorenollywood.com/banky-w-to-lead-cast-for-tope-oshins-up-north/|publisher=XploreNollywood}}

rowspan="3" |2022

|Here Love Lies

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{cite web|title=Tope Oshin is back! Watch new teaser for feature film 'Here Love Lies' [Pulse Exclusive]|date=6 August 2021 |url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/movies/tope-oshin-returns-with-feature-film-here-love-lies/39cfrfh}}

=Short films=

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Title

! colspan="4" |Role

! rowspan="2" |Ref

Director

!Producer

!Writer

!Editor

2011

|The Young Smoker

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

rowspan="2" |2013

|New Horizons

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

Till Death Do Us Part

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

2014

|Crush

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|

2015

|Ireti

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{cite news|title=BFI Press release - Beyond Nollywood showcases New Nigerian Cinema 2016|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-press-release-beyond-nollywood-showcases-new-nigerian-cinema-2016-11-04.pdf}}

=Documentaries=

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Title

! colspan="4" |Role

! rowspan="2" |Ref

Director

!Producer

!Writer

!Presenter

2016

|Amaka’s Kin: The Women of Nollywood.

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{cite news|title=BFI Press release - Beyond Nollywood showcases New Nigerian Cinema 2016|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-press-release-beyond-nollywood-showcases-new-nigerian-cinema-2016-11-04.pdf}}

2017

|Nigeria: Shooting It Like A Woman

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|

=Television=

class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Title

! colspan="5" |Role

! rowspan="2" |Ref

Director

!Producer

!Writer

!Casting
director

!Other

2008

|Maltina Dance All

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Presenter

|{{Cite web|date=12 November 2021|title=Before stardom with...Tope Oshin|url=https://punchng.com/before-stardom-with-tope-oshin/|access-date=3 January 2022|website=Punch Newspapers|language=en-US}}

2009

|Moments With Mo

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

|

2009 -

2013

|Tinsel (TV series)

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Box/Content producer

|

2012

|Bridges

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

|

rowspan="2" |2013

|Conversations At Dinner

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|

|

Love and War

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|

|

2014

|Walk The Talk

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

|

2015

|Hotel Majestic

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

|

rowspan="3" |2016

|GidiUp 3 (Unaired)

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

|

EvoL

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|

|

Hush

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|

|

rowspan="2" |2017

|BattleGround

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|Consultant

|

Ever After (TV Feature)

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|

|

2018

|MTV Shuga Season 6

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|

|

2019

|MTV Shuga Naija Season 4

|{{yes}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Executive producer

|{{Cite web|title=Shuga (TV Series 2009– ) - IMDb|website=IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2577388/fullcredits}}

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Award

!Category

!Film

!Result

!Ref

rowspan="5" |2011

| rowspan="4" |In-short film festival

|Audience Prize

| rowspan="4" |The Young Smoker

|{{won}}

|

Special Jury Mention

|{{won}}

|

Best Director

|{{nom}}

|

Best Film

|{{nom}}

|

TAVA (The Audio Visual Awards)

|Best Directing

|Tinsel

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="8" |2012

|Abuja International Film Festival

|Best Short Film

| rowspan="4" |Till Death Do Us Part

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="2" |In-short film festival

|Best Film

|{{won}}

|

Best Director 

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="2" |TAVA (The Audio Visual Awards)

| rowspan="2" |Most Outstanding Short Film

|{{nom}}

|

rowspan="2" |The Young Smoker

|{{nom}}

|

Africa Movie Academy Awards

|Best Short Film

|{{nom}}

|

rowspan="2" |Abuja International Film Festival

|Outstanding Film in Directing

|Till Death Do Us Part

|{{nom}}

|

Best Short Film

| rowspan="2" |The Young Smoker

|{{nom}}

|

rowspan="6" |2013

|Slum Film Festival

|Best Narrative Film

|{{won}}

|

Best of Nollywood Awards

|Best Movie With A Social Message

| rowspan="4" |Journey To Self

|{{won}}

|

Zulu African Film Academy Awards

| rowspan="2" |Best Director

|{{nom}}

|

rowspan="3" |Nollywood Movies Awards

|{{nom}}

|

Best Movie

|{{nom}}

|

Best Short Film

|Till Death Do Us Part

|{{nom}}

|

rowspan="6" |2014

|Teens Favorite Awards

|Teens Favorite TV & Film Producer

|{{n/a}}

|{{won}}

|

Africa Movie Academy Awards

|Special Jury Award

|New Horizons

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="2" |Nigerian Broadcast & Media Awards

|Best Program Director

|Tinsel

|{{nom}}

|

Best TV Drama

|New Horizons

|{{nom}}

|

Nigerian Entertainment Awards

|Best Director

|Journey To Self

|{{nom}}

|

Best of Nollywood Awards

|Best Short Film

| rowspan="2" |New Horizons

|{{nom}}

|

2015

|Golden Movie Awards

|Golden Short Award

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="11" |2016

|Lagos Entertainment Awards

|Director Of The Year

|{{n/a}}

|{{nom}}

|

Exquisite Lady Of The Year Awards

|Best Producer of The Year 

|Fifty

|{{nom}}

|

Nigerian Creatives Award

|Creative Personae of the year

| rowspan="2" {{n/a}}

|{{nom}}

|

Divas Awards

|Filmmaker of the year

|{{nom}}

|

Abuja International Film Festival, Nigeria

| rowspan="2" |Best Short Film

| rowspan="3" |Ireti

|{{nom}}

|

Africa Movie Academy Awards

|{{nom}}

|

Golden Movie Awards

|Golden Short Award

|{{nom}}

|

Nigerian Broadcast & Media Awards

|Best TV Program Director

|Tinsel

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="2" |Womens Only Entertainment Film Festival

|Best International Short Film

| rowspan="2" |Ireti

|{{won}}

|

Best International Female Director

|{{won}}

|

Best of Nollywood Awards

| rowspan="2" |Best Documentary

| rowspan="2" |Amaka’s Kin: The Women of Nollywood

|{{won}}

|

rowspan="4" |2017

| rowspan="2" |Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards

|{{nom}}

|

Best Short Film

|Ireti

|{{nom}}

|

City People Entertainment Awards

|Best Director Of The Year

|{{n/a}}

|{{won}}

|

Ebonylife TV Sisterhood Awards

|Director Of The Year 

|{{n/a}}

|{{nom}}

|

rowspan="5" |2018

| rowspan="4" |Best of Nollywood Awards

|Best Director of The Year

| rowspan="4" |We Don’t Live Here Anymore

|{{won}}

|{{Cite web|date=10 December 2018|title='We Don't Live Here Anymore' bags 5 awards at the Best of Nollywood Awards 2018|url=https://therustintimes.com/2018/12/10/we-dont-live-here-anymore-bags-5-awards-at-the-best-of-nollywood-awards/}}

Best Movie of The Year

|{{won}}

|

Best Editing

|{{won}}

|

Best Screenplay of The Year

|{{nom}}

|

RealTime Film Festival

|Best Movie By A Female African Filmmaker

|In Line

|{{won}}

|{{Cite web|last=user|date=22 November 2021|title=Tope Oshin Scoops Best Director Award At Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival {{!}} Nolly Silver Screen|url=http://nollysilverscreen.com/2021/11/22/tope-oshin-scoops-best-director-award-at-hollywood-weekly-magazine-film-festival/|access-date=3 January 2022|language=en-US}}

2019

|Africa Movie Academy Awards

|Best Nigerian Film

|Up North

|{{nom}}

|

2021

|7th Annual Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival & Awards

|Best Director

|In Line

|{{won}}

|{{Cite web|last=Nwogu|first=Precious 'Mamazeus'|date=22 November 2021|title=Tope Oshin's 'In Line' movie scoops new award 4 years post release|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/movies/tope-oshins-in-line-movie-scoops-new-award-4-years-post-release/4ll9ck4|access-date=3 January 2022|website=Pulse Nigeria|language=en}}

2021

|ReFrame

|The ReFrame Stamp Award

|Here Love Lies

|{{won}}

|{{Cite web|title=Feature Film|url=https://www.reframeproject.org/stamp-film|access-date=3 January 2022|website=ReFrame|language=en-US}}

= Honors =

  • OkayAfrica Okay100 Women 2017 Honoree{{Cite web|title=Tope Oshin|url=https://100women.okayafrica.com/film-tv-articles/2018/2/28/tope-oshin}}
  • Excellence in The Creative Industries Award - Sisi Oge Awards 2018{{Cite web|date=20 April 2018|title=And the Winner is… 19-Year-Old Udeh Precious emerges Winner of the 2018 Sisi Oge Cultural Pageant|url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2018/04/sisi-oge-2018-winner/}}
  • Distinguished Alumni Medal of Honor 2016 - In-short film festival{{Cite web|title=We got awarded a Medal of Honor at In-Short Film Festival 2016|date=December 2016|url=https://judithaudu.tumblr.com/post/154696115572/we-got-awarded-a-medal-of-honor-at-in-short-film}}
  • African Woman In Film Award 2015 by African Women Development Fund{{Cite web|date=30 June 2015|title=Nigerian Tope Ogun Wins AWDF Women in Film Award|url=http://awdf.org/nigerian-tope-ogun-wins-awdf-women-in-film-award/}}
  • Special Award For Outstanding Contribution To Film & TV In Nigeria - Eko Star Film & TV Awards by Lagos State Govt./Nigerian Film & TV Summit/Ebonylife Media 2021{{Cite web|last=NIFSummit|title=Tope Oshin - Nigerian International Film & TV Summit|url=https://nifsummit.com/eko-star/awardees/tope-oshin|access-date=3 January 2022|website=nifsummit.com|language=en-gb}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}