The NollywoodWeek Film Festival in Paris has announced its selections for the 2024 edition, with an opening night film of Biodun Stephen’s Atiko, a drama that tells the story of two lifelong friends and mothers, Ajoke and Lape, who have a deep and dangerous secret that they must keep from their beloved sons. In its 11th edition, there is a strong mix of old and new Nigerian narrative features and shorts.
Leading the pack for feature-length film selections is All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White by Babatunde Apalowo. The award-winning film set in Lagos, tells of a love story between Bambino and Bawa, their struggles with their sexual identities living in a society like Nigeria. All the Colours will also be having its theatrical run in France starting in May.
Also showing is Biodun Stephen’s 2022 release, Sista, after originally premiering on Prime Video in 2023. In this film, a single mother will be forced to face her past and protect her children when her past comes calling.
Another stand-out selection is Uche Aguh’s Dynamite, starring Ifeoma Nkiruka Chukwuogo who plays Kiki, a songstress managed by her controlling and strong-willed husband and is eventually caught between a love affair with her Bassist and is forced to make a difficult decision.
Seun Afolabi’s Atoka follows a down-on-his-luck young man who relocates with his wife to his hometown for a glimpse of hope, after losing his job and meeting with a student with a special gift.
In the short films category, we have Dika Ofoma’s A Quiet Monday. The synopsis reads, “When the leader of a secessionist militant group in south-eastern Nigeria is jailed, his loyalists mandate a compulsory “sit-at-home” on Mondays in protest. Siblings Kamnonu and Ogbonna face danger when they defy the Monday restrictions.”
In Halima’s Choice, Nigeria’s representation of the African Folktales Reimagined anthology by Korede Azeez makes a presentation at the festival. The film already streaming on Netflix is set in a world With 99% of the population uploaded into virtual worlds, a young girl from a secluded Fulani village inadvertently elopes with an AI to escape an arranged marriage.
The 11th NollywoodWeek Festival runs from the 2nd to the 5th of May 2024 in Paris.
For a full list of selected films please click here.
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Edit: An earlier version of this article wrongly stated that the festival is in its 13th edition.
