Author: Seyi Lasisi

From December 10th to 13th, at Alliance Française, Lagos, the S16 Film Festival marked its fourth edition to welcoming embrace. Four years since its genesis (ideated by the S16 Collective trio of Abba T. Makama, C.J. “Fiery” Obasi and Michael Omonua), what persists is its pact of propelling Nigerian indie voices with dissenting artistic sensibilities to Nigerian and international audiences. Over the course of the 4-day event that included film screenings, post-screening conversations (adeptly moderated by Falana), networking during breaks and panel discussions— that distinctive passion for cinema was glaring across board. As filmmakers seen as outliers, skeptical of accepting…

In 2022, when I attended and wrote about the S16 Film Festival, I closed with this reflection: “Like the closing film of the festival, Nollywood should know that the S16 festival isn’t seeking its Burial but creating a pathway for the Resurrection of cinema culture.” Two years later, the imposing strides and achievements of Nigerian indie filmmakers have proven that sentence undeniably true. From December 10th to 13th, the cozy hall of Alliance Française, Lagos will not only accommodate Nigerian and international auteur-driven and genre-blending filmmakers and cinephiles but bear witness to the authenticity of that sentence. Created by the…

Ebinpejo Lane, located in Idumota Market Lagos, recalls a departed age in Nigerian film distribution history. Film posters in places like Ebinpejo Lane, Iweka Road in Onitsha, and Pound Road in Aba, which were marketplaces, were convergence points for distributors to select films to take to video clubs across the country. Although chaotic, these posters, with their flashy pictures and star-studded ensemble, help customers decide which films to watch. And the pattern worked. However, in recent years,  Nollywood film posters have departed from those seemingly disorganized film posters. And heralding that divergence is Iyebiye Adeitan, known as Kaizen Kreativ, who…

Girl Meets Boy, streaming on YouTube to prolific audience reception, is a quiet but vocal indication of the need for more age-appropriate stories for growing Nigerian teenagers. Caught in a web of dilemma is Teni (Cynthia Ebijie), a nerdy teenager, about her love preference. Daniel (Emmanuel Nse), possibly their school’s most handsome student, is Teni’s childhood crush. Here is the problem: Aside from giving Teni passive attention, her conversation with Daniel is often empty. Deliberately filling this void and actively courting Teni’s attention is Caleb (David A. Ezekiel). With attractive ease, Caleb and Teni’s conversations are often littered with cerebral…

In syncing into Wura Amoo-Adeleke, Scarlet Gomez presents the audience with a dilemma: pray for Wura’s defeat or her constant ascent to the top. With the character, Wura presents multiple identities. When she is with Anthony Adeleke (Yomi Fash-Lanso), her husband, she is a deeply compassionate and caring wife. To Eve (Toluwani George) and Lolu Adeleke (Iremide Adeoye), her children, she is a source of doting affection however it may occasionally clash with their personal wishes. Jeje (Ray Adeka), who constantly orbits around Wura is also deprived of knowing Wura’s identity. Wura never fails to confuse him with her myriad…

EXCLUSIVE: Whenever I visit the cinema, I am always accompanied by a pen and a book, for note-taking duty. Film criticism has made me an obsessive note taker. As audiences – satisfied or nagging, slouch out of the cinema room, I recline in my seat, with my writing materials ready, I await the credit list to start its procession. My duty as a conduit of information, as a film critic, compels this sense of attention. I had gone to watch the Dare Olaitan-directed Ile Owo. As the credit rolled on, accompanied by the eerie musical score, I noticed a name.…

Unknown to princess Njinga, her ascension to the throne though littered with horrific acts would inspire on-screen retellings (the 2013 Angolan historical drama Njinga: Queen Of Angola and a Starz series, Queen Nzinga, in development) and importantly, her years and fame as the first female ruler (1624-1663) —which forms the base of African Queens: Njinga will cross the border of Ndongo (present-day Angola) to the world. It’s the 16th century —the century doubles as the starting point of the docuseries and it is notable for the encroachment of Africa by ships. Princess Njinga is on the verge of becoming the…

I am familiar— by reading news stories and listening to friends narrate their experiences, with the bizarre traits of our Men in Black: Nigerian Police Force. This ranges from their passionate pursuit of victims whose arrest would mean an increase of their account balance, to their worn-out attitude in pursuit of justice for the poor. My familiarity with their virtues incited in me an arm’s length distance from the Nigerian Police Force. Fortunately, for me, the feeling is mutual. Those are my fond memories of the Police Force and it was these memories amongst others that Crime and Justice Lagos…

My exams ended on December 9, 2022, and the S16 Film Festival started film screening on December 10, 2022. Ogun state is about 2 hours away from Lagos. But when you factor in the ever-present gridlock on Lagos roads, the trip might extend to 4 or 6 hours depending on the driver’s intimate understanding of unorthodox pathways. Leaving Ogun state by 8 am on Saturday meant I would, like almost all trained journalists, arrive earlier before the film screening commences. Man proposes, God disposes. The first feature on the schedule: Tunde Kelani’s ever-relevant Saworoide had almost begun screening when I…