October 22, (THEWILL) – Nigeria has selected award-winning film, ‘Mami Wata’ as its official entry for the 2024 Academy Awards, a.k.a Oscars, in the International Feature Film (IFF) category.
The IFF (formerly Best Foreign Language) award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length film produced outside the United States that contains 50 per cent or more non-English dialogue.
Written and directed by C.J. Obasi, ‘Mami wata’ is an exploration and creative re-imagination of the mythology of a titular mermaid-deity of West African folklore and one which, among other things, celebrates womanhood.
The Nigerian Official Section Committee (NOSC) for the IFF said it chose the film for its relevant theme – multiple generations of women at the forefront of society’s well-being – its unique approach to a story set pre and post-colonial African societies, as well as its technical and artistic excellence.
The NOSC voting members include Stephanie Linus, award-winning actress and chairperson of NOSC; Chidia Maduekwe – MD Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC); Victor Okhai, president of Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN); Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde, actress; Andy Amenechi, former president of DGN; Yibo Koko, theatre practitioner; and Izu Ojukwu, writer/director.
Others are Adetokunbo ‘DJ Tee’ Odubawo, cinematographer; Emem Isong, writer/producer; Dimeji Ajibola, director; Jude Idada, writer/director; Ngozi Okafor, producer/costumier; John Njamah, actor/director; and Meg Otanwa, actress/polyglot.
‘Mami Wata’ advances in the Oscars race having received the highest votes from the 14-man committee. The next stage of the film will be determined by the IFF Executive Committee.
Shot on location in the Republic of Benin, ‘Mami Wata’ tells the story of a beach-side community that must interrogate previously held beliefs when a stranger washes up ashore and further threatens its harmony. The film, which had its theatrical releases in Nigeria and other countries, won the Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival 2023 for its vivid black-and-white cinematography. The 96th Oscars will take place on March 10, 2024. The show will broadcast live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation, Hollywood.
Ivory Ukonu is a versatile journalist with many years of experience, with entertainment and society reporting as her area of core competence.
