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    Wednesday, October 3, 2018

    Lights, Camera Africa! Hosts an Epic Film Festival

    Lights, Camera, Africa 2018 was not just another film festival, it was THE film festival that showcased the best of African film as it came to a thrilling climax after its 3rd day on Sunday the 3oth of September at the Agip Hall, Muson, Onikan.
    The last day had legendary Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani in conversation as his adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s ‘The Lion and the Jewel’ – Sidi Ilujinle a movie that was shot in Ibadan and had the entire dialogue in the Native Yoruba language.
    Tunde Kelani and Lala Akindoju during a Q&A for Sidi Ilujinle

    Dare Smith, Adetayo Adesola

    Ozzy Agu, Rosemary Abazie and Adesuwa Oronsaye
    Kenneth Gyang’s Ignorance of Blood was another powerful documentary that was screened on the 2nd day that gained tremendous critical appeal.
    The class and style of the very best in African film were in full glare and it made for a colourful festival. The festival also included Q&As from numerous directors and featured 19 films.
    The films addressed prevalent societal issues like sexual harassment, gender roles, and inequality. In all, it portrayed a more thoughtful and creative side to African Film.

    Here are 5 films you should definitely look out for:
    1. Adekunle Adejuyigbe’s The Delivery Boy
    Adekunle “Nodash” Adejuyigbe’s The Delivery Boy tells the story of Amir, a young boy, groomed by an extremist group, who runs away with a bomb vest strapped to his chest on the eve of a suicide mission. The other leading character, Nkem, is a prostitute, also on the run, who bumps into Amir. Before the night is over, they traverse the underbelly of the Nigerian metropolis as they search for their identities, their stolen pasts, money, and any semblance of peace they can find.
    The Delivery Boy which screened on the second day of the film festival on 29 September was a crowd favourite. Delivered in Hausa, its great use of soundtrack and storytelling left the audience wanting more. The film made its debut at the Nollywoodweek Paris Film Festival weeks ago and was screened at the New York African Film Festival last month.
    While its release date in the cinemas is not yet certain, according to the director, we get what we ask for. “We underestimate the power we have as the audience, Adejuyigbe said. “The truth is whatever is given to us in the cinemas is because we don’t push for it. If we said, ‘hey, we want to see this film,’ distributors want to make money, they’ll give you what you want.”

    2. Emeka Ed Keazor’s Cafe of Dreams
    At number 80 Venn Road South, in the Inland Town of Onitsha once stood the Dolphin Café Hotel, a small hotel which hosted, arguably the most popular and vibrant live music club in Nigeria, outside of Lagos. Simply put, any account of the history of Nigerian popular music is incomplete without mention of this iconic venue. However, not many of us have heard of its story.

    This 25 minute documentary by Emeka Ed Keazor celebrates the Dolphin Cafe story, from its inception in 1957, through its heyday in the mid 1960’s when resident Highlife superstars like Rex Lawson, Eddie Okonta, Zeal Onyia, E.C.Arinze, Eddie Okwedi and many more performed. Its demise as a cultural hub in 1967, when the tragic Nigerian Civil War devastated the East, reduced it to a mere shadow of itself in the postwar era. The story is told via the voices of two musical legends that were part of the story: octogenarian Guitar virtuoso, Isaac Onate and Nonagenarian Percussionist Chief Tony ‘Akatapo’ Odili. The documentary also features rare images, music and interviews with some venerable alumni of Dolphin Café, who reminisce about the golden era of Nigerian cultural revolution in the immediate aftermath of Independence.

    “It was a difficult to get photos due to the destruction following the civil war, the director Emeka Ed Keazor said while recalling the aftermath of war. “Somebody should set up an industry where they bottle the smell of war: unwashed bodies, dead bodies, sweat, fear—because fear has its own smell. If someone comes along shouting, ‘We’re going to kill you Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa people’, sit all of them in a room, pump that smell in, let them inhale it for one hour.”
    Despite its low budget, this documentary is not one to be missed. Watch out for it.

    3. Stephina Zwane’s Baby Mamas
    The closing film of the festival, this South African gem tells the stories of Toli, Chantel, Sandy and Joy — a squad of baby mamas. South African filmmakers Stephina Zwane and Salamina Mosese were armed with the passion to change the negative narrative surrounding single mothers in this comedy-drama revolving around the daily lives, loves and drama of four professional women who are all in different stages of motherhood.
    “We wanted to produce something that we wanted to watch and also celebrate the uncelebrated—the single mothers, Zwane said. “For the longest time the word “baby mama” has had a negative connotation attached to it, and so we wanted to take the negativity out of the name and then make the woman proud of being baby mamas. They are raising amazing babies and have sacrificed a lot to do so.”
    The film has premiered at the Toronto Black Film Festival, the New York African Film Festival and Durban Film Festival so far this year. It will be in cinemas from 12 October

    4. Togbe Gavua’s Lucky
    Lucky follows the story of Lucky Barima Mensah, a handsome and Twitter-famous university student who lands the date of the century with the most desired girl on social media, @NuttiFafa.
    However, he can neither afford his hostel rent, nor a date. With not one Cedi to his name, Lucky teams up with his best friend and hustler Wadaada to sell a Macbook to gangsters and fraudsters. Together, they use lies and good intentions to push through their challenges, but just when Lucky thinks nothing else can go wrong, karma remembers their name. Lucky’s story is one that is as humorous as it is deep, alternating between English, Twi and Ghanaian pidgin, and his reality and priorities, like many in his generation, are shaped by social media.

    5. Ema Edosio’s Kasala!
    Set over a period of 24 hours, Kasala!follows the story of four young boys who are up to no good in their local area. They are determined to have a good night, and so they steal their uncle’s car to arrive in style at a party. Unfortunately for them, they end up running into trouble.
    The movie’s director, Ema Edosio represents the underexplored lives of the young average Nigerian in her film which is closer to reality than most films emanating from the sector. Like Stephina Zwane’s Baby Mamas, Edosio’s Kasala! will also be out in cinemas on 12 October.
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    Item Reviewed: Lights, Camera Africa! Hosts an Epic Film Festival Rating: 5 Reviewed By: BrandIconImage
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