Author: Ini-Abasi Jeffrey

AFRIFF: In Out of Breath, there is an almost fairytale-like quality to its story that sacrifices the complications and nuances of its time for a clean-cut, perfect saviour in the main character. This lays a weak foundation for the rest of the Obi Emelonye-directed feature which tells the story of Nna Obioha, a respected village elder, who stands in the way of the cruel tradition of burying slaves along with their dead masters. The first thing of note in this film is the costume design. A period piece immerses us in its world at first glance by what the characters…

For a film to fulfill a purpose of sorts, it must have a soul—a certain essence that brews as images move, the thing that makes you feel. Whether you like the film or not regardless of runtime, you go away debating something. In eleven minutes, Daniel David’s Chapter EX, Mavin Records’ foray into film, fails to capture whatever soul it planned to have. Following a young couple, Eve (Tomi Ojo) and CJ (Deji Osikoya), their surprise pregnancy and a failed double twist, Chapter Ex is often inert in many elements. It tells the story of a woman trying to convince…

AFRIFF: The ambiguity of spirituality has always been a point of conversation in Kunle Afolayan’s films. One of his most popular films, The Figurine, places you in a conundrum at the end where you wonder where the influence of spiritual forces begins and where human wickedness continues. In Recall, this ambiguity has been bludgeoned into a straightforward—and boring—film. Telling the story of Anita who loses the memory of the last ten years of her life—including her husband and children—and the search for a solution, Afolayan directs a lukewarm story that never leans into the more interesting complications of his earlier…

AFRIFF: In Freedom Way, we are presented with a lesson in the ripple effect of bad governance. The ways policies affect all levels of society are on display: the poor who long for the most basic needs, the middle class who want some self-actualization in creating something and the politically corrupt class who never stop taking.  We follow Themba (Jesse Suntele) and Tayo (Ogranya Jable Osai), two tech founders trying to launch a rideshare app for motorcycles—reminiscent of Gokada—and how corrupt and unfavorable government policies ripples through the city of Lagos and affects the lives of other people. The story,…

AFRIFF: Poverty is a deeply Nigerian condition. It weaves through our lives, some with worse wear than others; but there is no existence in Nigeria not impacted by poverty. It is also an orchestrated condition, a cycle of government cruelty designed to suppress and quench class solidarity, forcing us to believe in manufactured scarcity. So, why do we often pretend it doesn’t exist? The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos takes us into the mouth of poverty, documenting the reality of the displaced Agbojedo community, a floating slum, of Lagos through Jawu (Temi Amu-Williams), a single mother, who finds…

AFRIFF: Music exists at the core of Uche Aguh’s Dynamite, a short film in which a music star`s facade of perfection dissolves as she finds new love in the most familiar of places: her band. Inspired by the five-track EP, “Sanguine”, by Kirukaah, the music moniker of Ifeoma Chukwuogo who also plays the lead, Dynamite constantly frames the film with the tracks from the EP. Unlike Water and Garri, the other music-inspired film from 2024, Dynamite recognizes the limits of its music and story and works mostly within it to better results.  Starting with a performance of “Ricochet Baby”, the…

AFRIFF: To weave a fictionalized past and present into a working tapestry of film is a test of many aspects of the process: the writing must be tight and every excess must be trimmed; the acting must be consistent across board, every version of a character changing but still holding their essence; the production design must reflect each period and never overwhelm the characters; and most of all, every moment must hold your heart because the past isn’t merely flashbacks but often a fully realized film in itself. With her debut feature Phoenix Fury, Ifeoma Chukwuogo works this tapestry with…

AFRIFF: To adapt a book is a struggle of ideas, to adapt a Soyinka book is a struggle of ideas and style, to adapt The Man Died is a struggle of ideas, style, form and history. Awam Amkpa directs the Bode Asiyanbi screenplay, drawing from the same-titled book and other memoirs by Soyinka: “Ibadan Penkelemes Years” and “You Must Set Forth At Dawn”. Amkpa’s The Man Died takes this struggle in stride, sometimes falling into the pits of Nigeria`s many histories but often rising with a strong sense of story and character. Standing at a staggering two hours and forty…

The African International Film Festival returns from November 3rd to 9th with the theme “Indigenous to Global: Cultural Wealth to Global Prosperity”. The festival will feature a packed lineup of shorts, features and documentaries from across the continent, screened both in and out of competition. This year’s theme continues the ongoing conversation in Nigeria and across Africa about telling stories for a global audience. AFRIFF continues to position itself as a major port of call for these conversations, featuring film screenings, panel discussions, masterclasses, and awards—all in celebration of our vibrant film industry. With excitement brewing ahead of opening night,…

In The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi, released in two parts on Netflix, women are many things, concepts and characters. Women are saviours and villains, women are victims and victors, women are gods and spirits, and ultimately women are vengeance. These many roles make for an intriguing study of horror as a medium for women’s revenge against society’s war against them but, unfortunately, they are untethered from a firm narrative and any horror elements, leaving an underwhelming feeling with no true catharsis at the end of the series. Netflix’s Upcoming Yoruba-Language Original Series ‘Ololade’ Pays Homage to Nollywood TV Classics Unfolding mostly…