Former chairman of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN), Patrick Lee has addressed ongoing allegations regarding cinemas allegedly promoting certain movies over others.
In a recent interview with Nollywood on Radio, Lee responded to the claims, providing clarity on the issues raised.
Allegations of biased cinema practices surfaced in December 2024, with actress Mercy Aigbe accusing some cinemas of dissuading fans from seeing her latest film, Thin Line.
Similarly, actor Femi Branch alleged that certain cinema staff actively promoted select films, sometimes by wearing branded merchandise, instead of maintaining neutrality.
A reality TV star turned filmmaker also claimed to have suffered substantial financial losses due to these practices.
In his interview, Lee rejected the notion that cinemas gain any benefit from exhibiting bias.
He explained that decisions to prioritize certain films are driven by business factors, noting that movies with higher commercial potential are given prime screening slots and access to superior facilities.
Addressing the issue of staff wearing promotional T-shirts, Lee clarified that such apparel is often misunderstood as favoritism but is, in reality, promotional material provided by film producers.
“In busy periods, cinema equipment may break down,” Lee stated. “When it happens and you are unable to repair, you make a commercial decision. So, the decision is to move the movie with the highest audience to the hall with functioning equipment. Equipment breaking down often happens, but the highest-selling film will always get the best facility because we need to take care of our customers.”
He further added, “We do not tell customers what movie to watch. In the past, we had customers asking staff about movies to watch because there was not a lot of social media information, but we do not encourage customers to watch a movie over another,” he said.
Producer-Distributor Dynamics
Another contentious issue discussed was the relationship between producers and distributors, with some producers alleging unfair treatment and poor financial returns.
Addressing these concerns, Lee explained the role of distributors:
“Distributors act as intermediaries between producers and cinemas. They evaluate movies for suitability based on quality, sound, storyline, and marketability. If a movie meets the standards, the distributor tries to secure a release that is as wide as possible. However, not all films can guarantee full nationwide coverage,” he continued.
Revenue distribution
On the often-misunderstood revenue-sharing formula, Lee provided clarity:
“The sharing formula is predetermined. Cinemas take a percentage of operational costs, distributors take their share, and the rest goes to the producer. Producers often misunderstand these agreements, especially when they see less-than-expected returns. We encourage producers to work closely with distributors to ensure proper promotion and support,” he said.
Call for Formal Complaints
Lee urged producers to submit formal complaints to the appropriate authorities instead of airing grievances on social media.
He stressed that official complaints allow for proper investigations and resolution, whereas social media posts are difficult to substantiate.
“In the cinema association, we encourage producers to make an official complaint. Then we can investigate it officially, but when people go on social media to make a statement, we can look into it, but because it is not an official complaint, it is rather challenging to take up,” he explained
