HOUSEWIVES IN Trinidad and Tobago have developed a hunger for movies produced in Nigeria.
The films, dubbed Nollywood movies, enter the twin island republic as pirated DVDs.

DVD pirates reportedly 'make a mint off' the movies, usually found in back street markets.

One fan told the Trinidad Express the films are entertaining because they have "real bacchanal and real obeah."

Others said they love action in the melodramas such as catfights between women, or seeing macho men slug it out, and the rags to riches themes.

A 22-year-old mother of one from Barataria said she also watched them to see the men. Her favourite actor is Van Vicker, a Ghanaian.

"All African movies are the same, yes, well at least the ones from Ghana and Nigeria. Sometimes, the two industries even share actors," she said.

The Express said several web blogs list Van Vicker as Africa's hottest movie star, with one site describing him as "a heartthrob that has got women dreaming of having his baby.”

Nollywood is reportedly the third largest film industry in the world, following America's Hollywood and India's Bollywood.