The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, who made the call in a statement issued on Thursday, also pledged government’s full support for
the success of the film.
The statement, made available to newsmen in Abuja, was
signed by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media) Office
of The Minister of Information and Culture.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that “The
Milkmaid”, is representing Nigeria in the International Feature Film category
of the the Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars.
The minister said the film is a testament to the progress
which the local film industry has made in the areas of professionalism and
international competitiveness
He said that the film also
highlighted Nigeria’s potential as a viable destination for cutting edge
film productions.
Mohammed said, while supremely entertaining, the film
sensitises and facilitates insights into the predicament of victims of
insurgency, especially women and children,.
He said the film has contributed to ongoing efforts aimed at
eradicating extremism from the society.
“Technically crafted to the highest international cinematic
standards, “The Milkmaid” showcases the natural beauty of Nigeria’s topography
such as the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba state.
“It highlighted the
richness of the subregion’s colourful Hausa and Fulani cultures,” he said.
Written, produced and directed by Desmond Ovbiagele, ‘The
Milkmaid’ is a Hausa language-based thriller spotlighting insurgency and
extremism, especially as they affect women and children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It narrates the story of a Fulani milkmaid who confronts
extremists in a rural African community in a quest to locate her missing
sister, and details how efforts to recapture her disrupted past became
complicated.
The film was selected by the 12-member Nigeria Official
Selection Committee (NOSC), having followed and met the prescribed procedures
by the United States’ Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
The selection of ‘The Milkmaid’ was officially announced on
Dec. 1 by the NOSC, headed by a filmmaker and education administrator, Chineze
Anyaene-Abonyi.
The film, also recently garnered eight nominations at the
2020 Africa Movie Academy Awards.
The Executive Producer of The Milkmaid, Dr Oluseun Sowemimo,
is a US-based Nigerian surgeon.
NAN reports that Oscars are awards for artistic and
technical merit in the film industry and regarded as the most famous and
prestigious awards in the entertainment industry globally.
The 2021 and 93rd Oscars ceremony is billed to hold on April
25, 2021 in the US.