By Priscilla Osaje
Nollywood’s festive movie season has been overshadowed by allegations of copyright infringement involving two Christmas-themed films.
A Kristmas to Love, produced by Lily Perez Films, emerged as a Top 5 family Christmas movie on YouTube following its release in December.
However, viewers later accused George Hates Christmas, produced by ChinnyLove Eze, of copying key elements of the earlier film, including its storyline, characters and scenes.
The backlash intensified after actor Baaj Adebule said he identified major similarities between both films and questioned the originality of the script.
The controversy has renewed calls for stronger copyright enforcement and better protection for emerging filmmakers in the industry.
Lily Perez Films is demanding public acknowledgement of originality, suspension of the disputed film, a formal apology, and intervention by relevant industry bodies.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), producer Lily Perez said the dispute was not about rivalry but respect for originality and intellectual labour.
“This project was born from a deeply personal story, and seeing it replicated without consent is painful and unacceptable,” Perez said.
She demanded public acknowledgement that A Kristmas to Love is the original work, warning that silence could encourage creative exploitation.
Perez also called for the immediate suspension of George Hates Christmas pending a thorough review by appropriate industry bodies.
“Allowing the film to circulate while these issues remain unresolved undermines trust and fairness within Nollywood,” she said.
According to her, these immediate actions are necessary to address reputational damage suffered by her production company.
“This is about justice, not vengeance. Young creatives deserve protection, not intimidation,” Perez added.
She warned that failure to act could discourage new voices and stifle creativity in the fast-growing industry.
Industry observers say the case highlights persistent power imbalances between established producers and emerging filmmakers.
As Nollywood expands its global footprint, stakeholders insist that protecting originality is essential to sustaining credibility and growth.
The public now awaits intervention from relevant authorities to ensure accountability and reaffirm respect for intellectual property rights. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
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From a legal perspective, we have often seen producers and writers who neglect the protection offered by the law come around later to cry over infringement when, in the first place, they failed to take preliminary steps. A child who wants to be called an academic or medical doctor must first go to school and earn a bachelor’s degree. Same here. If you want to have the law by your side, take steps to consult an expert legal counsel during preproduction so that when issues like this spring up, it will be remarkably easy to get the law on your side. Even now, it is not too late for Perez. My admonitions are not to Perez. They are for producers generally. It is time we embrace structure in the production of movies.