Nigeria’s Ayodeji Fatunla is attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest movie-watching marathon (cinema).
According to the Guinness World Records, the current record for the longest marathon of watching films is 121 hours and 18 minutes, achieved by Suresh Joachim (Sri Lanka) at Sheds @ 1Fox in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 13 December 2015.
Fatunla, whose Guinness World Record attempt is titled “160 Hours of Nonstop Movie Watching,” has Combo Entertainment as the headline sponsor. He has expressed his desire to celebrate Nollywood and make history alongside Nigerians.
The movie critic, whose Guinness World Record attempt will take place at the Lagos Theatre in Igando from Sunday, 8 December to 15 December 2024, said he is highly motivated to achieve greatness.
In a statement sent to newsmen on Sunday, Fatunla said he plans to watch no fewer than 80 films over 160 hours.
He said, “I know it takes a lot of commitment and determination to want to do this, but I really want to break the Guinness World Record for the longest hours of watching movies.
“I believe the current record has been held for over nine years now, but I feel like I can break it. I feel great because I am passionate about watching movies. As a movie critic, I also want to do something significant for myself, and I feel ready. I believe this will be a win.”
On why he chose to watch at least 80 movies for 160 hours, Fatunla said it is due to his passion for the industry and because it is something he has always wanted to do.
He added that he is eager to explore the magic involved in the creation of films – the pre-production, production, and post-production phases, especially since he is a Director of Photography (DOP).
Fatunla explained that the magic of movie production gives him so much joy, particularly as he imagines how producers like Afolayan and Funke Akindele visualise the process.
“The way foreign directors also carry out their productions gives me sleepless nights, which is what I want to focus on,” he said. “The seven days will give me time to really understand the depth of this magic. I’m trying to learn something.”
Guinness World Records noted that current record holder Joachim holds multiple endurance-based records. However, the record for the longest movie marathon was achieved as part of a competition with 10 contestants in a pop-up cinema.
This challenge was designed to help promote Telkom’s broadband service, with films streamed and the cinema open to the public. Other people were in attendance for parts of the attempt, outside of the 10 contestants.
