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Nigerian film production and distribution company Trino Motion Pictures has marked its 10th anniversary by appointing former Paramount Pictures EMEA executive Richard Aseme to its Advisory Board.
The Lagos-based company said the milestone and Mr Aseme’s appointment highlight its plans to strengthen global distribution, co-production opportunities and strategic partnerships across Africa and Europe as it enters its second decade.
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Founded in 2016 by Babatunwa Aderinokun and Uche Okocha, Trino Motion Pictures has evolved into one of Nigeria’s leading film production, international sales, content acquisition, marketing and distribution companies.
Over the past decade, the studio has built a catalogue of 16 titles, including eight feature films such as Sylvia, Three Thieves, The Razz Guy, The One for Sarah, KM17, The Weekend, Love Lockdown and Grandpa Must Obey. Its short film portfolio includes the acclaimed historical drama The Encounter.
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Trino pictures
Trino gained international recognition with The Weekend, which became the first independently produced Nigerian film selected for the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in 2024.
The film later screened at the BFI London Film Festival, Screamfest and NollywoodWeek Film Festival in Paris. It also received a record 16 nominations at the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards, winning Best Film, Best Nigerian Film, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography.
The company said its productions have reached audiences in more than 75 territories worldwide through cinema releases, in-flight entertainment services and major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Prime Video, Canal+, Kava, HBO Max and Circuit TV.
Through distribution agreements, The Weekend was made available to HBO Max subscribers across Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, a Canal+ acquisition expanded its reach to more than 60 French-speaking territories across Africa, Europe and French overseas regions.
Elevating African stories
Reflecting on the company’s journey, Managing Director Uche Okocha said the anniversary represented both a celebration of past achievements and a commitment to future growth.
“Ten years ago, we said we wanted to take African stories to the world. This anniversary is a celebration of everyone who believed in and helped shape that vision before the evidence was there: our creative collaborators, our partners, colleagues, friends, family and the audiences. The next decade is about building the partnerships, distribution networks, and industry infrastructure that allow even more African stories to travel globally,” Mr Okocha said.
According to the company, its next phase of growth will focus on expanding its international footprint through investments in distribution, content acquisition, co-production and strategic partnerships, particularly across European markets.
Richard Aseme
Mr Aseme is a former Co-Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Paramount Pictures.
He brings more than two decades of experience in global film distribution and currently leads global fintech venture investments at DCG. He is also a voting member of BAFTA and an alumnus of Oxford University and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Mr Okocha described the appointment as a strategic move for the company’s future.
“Richard’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Trino. He brings a rare combination of studio experience and investment insight, which will be critical as we expand into new markets and explore new growth models,” he said.
Speaking on his appointment, Mr Aseme said Trino’s global outlook made the opportunity particularly attractive.
“What’s compelling about Trino is not just the slate, but the ambition behind it. There is a clear opportunity for production companies emerging from Africa to operate globally, not as regional players, but as part of the international ecosystem. Trino is already moving in that direction, and I’m excited to support that next phase,” he noted.
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