Eyimofe makes Guardian UK’s top 10 African films

Eyimofe, the multiple award-winning Nigerian feature film, has been picked along with nine others on a shortlist of top films from Africa, Asia and Latin America by The Guardian UK.

The top British media organisation commissioned its writers to pick their favourite recent world cinema releases and Eyimofe and four other films from Africa ended up on the exclusive 10-film list.

Selected alongside Eyimofe, were Faya Dayi (Ethiopia), The Gravedigger’s Wife (Djibouti), The Rumba Kings (DR Congo), and Feathers (Egypt).

Others are The Great Indian Kitchen (India), Manco Cápac (Peru), I am Belmaya (Nepal), Antara: Songs of Afternoon (Bangladesh), and Suspensión (Colombia).

Emmanuel Akinwotu, the West Africa correspondent of The Guardian (UK), described Eyimofe (This is My Desire in Yoruba) as “a beautifully subtle and moving film that follows two unrelated people, Mofe and Rosa, who are both full of dreams of leaving overwhelming economic struggles in Nigeria for a fresh start in Europe.”

He added: “Just as striking as their layered, individual stories, which each form half of the film, is the backdrop of Lagos and how it is depicted by debut film-makers, twin brothers Arie and Chuko Esiri. Shot entirely in 16mm, the film offers a sensitive and pensive illustration of a city that is often cast as teeming and frenetic, full of vibrancy and the extremes of wealth and poverty. Yet in Eyimofe, the reality of working-class life is shown with nuance, hope and hopelessness.

“In the intense struggles of the main characters to leave Nigeria, the film spotlights the desperation of migrants, while revealing, but not demonising, the world they fight to escape.”

The film, which has Lady Maiden Alex Ibru, Toke Alex Ibru, Olorogun Oskar Ibru, Kayode Akindele and Ifeoma Esiri as executive producers, won five awards at the 2021 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), including the prestigious Best Director and Best Nigerian Film awards.

It stars Jude Akuwudike, Tomiwa Edun, Temi Ami-Williams, Cynthia Ebijie, Toyin Oshinaike, Jacob Alexander, Fortune Nwafor, Chioma Omeruah, Bimbo Manuel, and Sadiq Daba.

Guardian/Hauwa Abu