Hundreds of movie lovers have trooped into Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, for the screening of Nollywood crime thriller Black Market as organisers attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest audience at a film screening in a single location.
The organisers are targeting 50,000 attendees for the screening, which is being held as part of the film’s premiere.
The venue recorded a heavy turnout on Saturday, with long queues stretching towards the TBS roundabout as moviegoers arrived ahead of the main screening.
The gates opened at 2pm, followed by a red-carpet session at about 3pm, while the film was scheduled to be screened between 7pm and 8:30pm.
Music, food and games were also part of activities lined up for attendees.
Black Market is directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay and produced by Nora Awolowo, with Omowunmi Dada and Nicole Ofoegbu among the production team.
The film stars Dada alongside Lateef Adedimeji, Linda Ejiofor-Suleiman, Scarlet Gomez, Teniola Aladese, Susan Pwajok, Ibrahim Yekini, popularly known as Itele D Icon, and Uzor Arukwe, among others.
The crime thriller centres on five market women involved in cross-border smuggling amid fuel scarcity and economic hardship. The story takes a dramatic turn after the daughter of one of the women is kidnapped.
The event is supported by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, alongside several corporate partners.
Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat arrived at the venue at about 8:50pm. Celebrities spotted at the event included Gabriel Afolayan, Real Warri Pikin and Tomi Ojo.
The success of the Guinness World Records attempt will ultimately depend on the attendance and verification process required by the record body.