“This In Bloom anthology is not really for women. It’s actually for men. I hope men look at Simi and feel what she’s feeling. Ask yourself how you can best support the women in your life,” Folu Storms states emphatically as she settles down for an exclusive interview with What Kept Me Up.
The actress plays the lead in Afefe, a short film from In Bloom, created by MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation, Paramount’s Content for Change initiative and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was recently released in celebration of Women’s History Month.
The five-part anthology is directed by five female filmmakers from five countries, birthing five short films that shine a necessary spotlight on the ‘silent pandemics’ that affect girls, women, and global communities.
The directors—Nicole Teeny, Priyanka Banerjee, Giuliana Monteiro, Voline Ogutu, and Dolapo ‘LowlaDee’Adeleke—explore real-life issues in their respective countries, ranging from period poverty and HIV stigma to child marriage and gender-based violence. The five short films were shot over a month in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In our conversation, Storms highlights the importance of the anthology, which aims to break the chain of systemic inequalities and achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal Number 5: Gender Equality. The actress, who got her big break on MTV Base Africa VJ, also touches on her long-lasting relationship with the platform.
“It was just a happy coincidence to have had a relationship with Paramount Africa before this. But the reason I wanted to do this is because stories like this are important. If you go back to when I auditioned for the VJ Search, you will see that much of my narrative has always been about the importance of media’s impact on the way we think. So it was just a perfect, almost full-circle moment to be presented with this project that allows me to tell such a meaningful story and whose sole purpose is to drive action towards inclusivity for women and gender equity globally.”
Storms plays Simi in the Nigerian short film Afefe, which follows a beautician whose life takes a frightening turn when her elderly and ailing mother-in-law moves in unexpectedly. Written and directed by LowlaDee, the project examines misogyny, women’s economic empowerment and their role in the home.
On landing the role and becoming Simi, Storms says, “This opportunity found me through the director. She thought I would be a good fit, and of course, reading Simi’s story was a part of it. She’s a working woman that all of us recognise. I thought it was quite important to bring as much empathy as possible. I want people to connect emotionally with that frustration of being denied an opportunity.”
In Afefe, the character grapples with abandoning her dreams and taking on the role of caretaker based on the directives of the men in her family. The audience sees the emotional toll that this decision takes on the family and Simi, in particular, when the tearful beautician is forced to quit her job less than a day after getting promoted.
“Emotional scenes leave a physical impact and there are quite a few emotional scenes for Simi,” Storms reveals. “So it’s never in a lighthearted nature. I connected with Simi. It’s a frustration we know. It’s disheartening, it’s demoralising and heartbreaking. This is why this move to drive inclusion and to drive change by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation is key. These women’s issues are not exclusive to a tribe, country or a particular type of woman. This issue is systemic. It is something we see across social economic zones, cultures and countries.”
In addition to having female directors, the entire project is achieved by a primarily female crew. For Storms, this is a good thing because only women truly understand the stories of other women. However, she believes that women should collaborate with men who are true allies.
“I think it’s pivotal that women are at the forefront of telling women-focused stories because nobody can quite understand the emotional load of what women are going through or the real complexities involved in challenges that women face outside of women,” she declares. “We do have a lot of men involved as well who are listening, learning and are open to speaking to other men because, at the end of the day, I do believe that men tend to listen more to other men than they do to women.”
She adds, “This is why important that it is a unified effort, and that we are all involved. But women must be at the forefront of championing our own stories, because how else do you show the world what that problem really is? I saw that pretty successfully with the In Bloom crew. Even though it was 60% women, there were a lot of men running a tight ship. There were compassionate, listening and focused guys, which I loved.”
While Afefe is mostly a heartbreaking tale of the sad reality of many African women, it ends on an uplifting note. Recognising that this is not always the case for many women in similar situations, Storms offers some encouragement and advice.
“A lot of women have their life situations that end differently, so I say keep hope alive,” says the actress. “Talk to other women and remember that no situation is permanent. This, too, shall pass is a favourite phrase that I say for all things when you’re up and when you’re down because no good or bad thing lasts forever. Learning to share with people you trust makes a huge difference and we see that across the In Bloom series. Very often, we feel like we have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, but there is no prize for Best Suffering. Use your support network.”
The interview concludes with a message for men. For Storms, Afefe and the entire In Bloom series is actually for men, not women, who live these stories daily. “Let this be a mirror. Start reflecting and considering how often you have thoughtlessly assigned assignments to the women in your lives without their say.”
She adds, “Ask yourself how best you can support the women in your life. When we talk about allies, we’re talking about being a champion. We’re saying, ‘get up and share the burden.’ So when you watch stories like this, it’s not to castigate you. It’s not to flog or shame you; that’s not the purpose. It’s to ask you to think of ways you can make the situation better. Simi’s husband could have easily made the situation better for her. He could have easily been that shield between her and the family. So men, you can step in. There are so many ways you can step in.”
In Bloom is currently streaming on YouTube and Paramount+.
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