Marcel Nyuysemo, A Creative Face Behind Cameroonian Movies

By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo

Many identify him as Marcel Nyuysemo, but the Cameroon Movie Industry knows him as “Marcoloko”.

Marcel Nyuysemo hails from Wvem, a small village in Jakiri Sub-division, Bui Division of Cameroon’s Northwest Region.

His passion and his drive towards making Cameroonian movies unique has, within a short time, earned him the title the Creative Face behind Cameroon’s Great Movies.”

Having joined the movie industry in 2017 through his friend, Michael Fonyuy, Marcoloko’s life has changed drastically.

“I got into the movie industry in 2017 through Michael Fonyuy. He invited me to feature in a comedy entitled, Birds of Feather that was shot in Jakiri. At first, I hesitated but due to boredom and the on-going crisis, I joined and things have never been the same again,” Nyuysemo said.

Due to his admiration for Michael Fonyuy and other actors including film producers and directors like Teco Benson from Nigeria and Kiefer Sutherland alias Jack Bauer, his passion for the film Industry grew from strength to strength.

Though he started as an actor, writer, director and producer, Nyuysemo says executive positions in movies are what he loves most.

“I like to put ideas on the screen as a Director. I like to be the creative face behind the scenes; putting other people’s talents on the screen though once in a while, I will also like to take minor roles,” he said.

Besides giving out his best on set, Marcoloko says, he sees himself as a motivator to people who are supposed to execute his ideas on the screen. “On set, I see myself as someone putting ideas on the screen, worried about getting it right, but above all, trying to make everyone give their best.”

He might have been in the movie industry just for three years now, but he has faced a number of challenges.

According to him, challenges such as jealousy, hatred, greed and envy are greatly damaging the movie industry.

After featuring in Heart of a Brother, directed by Delphine Mainimo, and other comedy movies, Nyuysemo has written, directed and produced Broken Dreams and Duty Calls, all available on YouTube.

He is working on some projects, he says.

While hoping for better days, Nyuysemo thinks movie making in Cameroon is a tough job. According to him, getting Cameroonian moviemakers to work together alongside sponsorship and marketing can make the industry boom.

“We have the talents, but we lack sponsorship and the market just because Cameroonians have a phobia for their movies. Nigerians came together and made rules, and I think we desperately need that. I am hoping the new law will help us,” he said. Apart from being a promoter of Cameroon Movie Industry, Nyuysemo is a Philosophy Teacher and a Research student at the University of Yaounde I.