Latest news with #FemiAdebayo
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seven Doors: sweeping Nigerian Netflix series masters the art of storytelling
From the opening credits of the new Netflix six-part series Seven Doors, the viewer is poised for a captivating cinematic experience. An array of sculptures dot the landscape as a montage of scenes unfolds, establishing the back story of the historical epic that is about to be played out. Femi Adebayo, the actor turned director and producer, had a huge hit in 2023 with the film Jagun Jagun (The Warrior), a historical epic love story that he produced. Now he's back on Netflix acting in, producing and co-directing Seven Doors. As a theatre professor, author, playwright and film scholar I follow the output of Nollywood. Nigeria's thriving film industry is increasingly attracting higher budgets and producing films and series of high screen value. Seven Doors is one of these. Seven Doors has some weaknesses, like not knowing the specific period the beautifully designed costumes represent, but it's mostly a masterpiece. It's a metaphor for Nigeria's current realities. For their leading roles, Adebayo won the lead actor award at the 11th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards on 11 May and Chioma Chukwuka won lead actress. The film also won Best Score/Music. I find the plot very intricate, exciting and engaging. The cast also nails it. Among them are Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, Hafiz Oyetoro, Adebayo 'Oga Bello' Salami, Gabriel Afolayan, Jide Kosoko, Dele Odule, Muyiwa Ademola and Adebayo himself. No better cast could have interrogated the world of Yoruba culture and myth that Nollywood is currently exploring. Seven Doors opens eerily, with a group of seven female characters who appear as if in trance from a bush path. At the call of their names by a priest, each falls off a cliff into a cascading waterfall, hitting their heads on stones at the bed of the fall. The scene is swiftly succeeded by the introduction of a young family of four on a lawn tennis court in the middle of a game. The line at the end of this scene, 'We all win together in love', resonates throughout the movie's narrative. The story also revolves around them. A door can be an opening or a barrier. The six episodes are each creatively titled: Door Threshold, Door Jamb, Door Frame, Door Lock, Door Swivel, and Door Peephole. The audience is left to imagine and add the title for the seventh 'door', perhaps. Each episode provides access to the intriguing story as it unfolds. The story begins in the ancient town of Ilara and excavates a sacrilegious crime – two princes as siblings aspire to become the Oba (king and ruler) of their kingdom. The Ifa oracle, the last arbiter in such matters, counsels that both princes are eligible and will rule over the kingdom with prosperity following. However, the way forward is for them to have a heart-to-heart talk among themselves so that one withdraws from the race. One remembers that recently, a state government, Oyo, in south-west Nigeria, sought the counsel of an Ifa priest to determine who should be the Alaafin of Oyo, a prominent king. What follows in the narrative of Seven Doors is disastrous: the younger prince strangles his elder brother and cunningly gets the throne, setting the tone for the calamity that besets the kingdom. Flash forward to the present. Adedunjoye, a young prince of the Adekogbe Ruling House, turns down the choice to be the next king, Onilara of Ilara. There is an echo of the recent not-too-young-to-run agitation by a section of the younger generation in Nigeria. Read more: Seven Doors boasts aesthetically designed period costumes (Lola Awe and Yolanda Okereke) and makeup and special effects (Hakeem Onilogbo). The hairstyles (Oyewale Omolara), props, vehicles and other details (Olorunnisola Omowonuola) show that the story is set in Nigeria's 1950s-1960s. I was impressed by the art direction and scenography in the film, handled by Olatunji Afolayan, right from the opening montage, with the credits rolling and superimposed on the sculptured figurines (handled by Gabriel Udeh and Abayomi Olamakinde). To me, this is a celebration of the culture and the past of the traditional institution. The post-production is clinical too. Overall, I like the non-intrusive special effects in the movie. The subtle way the filmmaker used each scene and each episode to make different statements on the past, present and future is commendable. It comes with the impression that the sins of the father can become a stumbling block to the sons. It is a well-handled, visually appealing storytelling. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Adediran Kayode Ademiju-Bepo, University of Jos Read more: Funding terror: how west Africa's deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa's oceans – how to resolve them Why Meta is in trouble in Nigeria and what this means for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users Adediran Kayode Ademiju-Bepo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wetin to expect from di 2025 AMVCA
Di 11th edition of di African Magic Video Choice Awards dey happun dis on Saturday 10 May. Dis na di awards wey pipo dey call di Oscars of Africa even though e get some categories wey moviegoers dey follow vote inside. For dis year AMVCA, dem get 27 award categories, wit 18 non-voting while for nine categories, di audience follow vote inside. Di voting categories na for Best Digital Content Creator, Best Indigenous Language (South, West and East Africa), Best Unscripted M-Net Original, Best Indigenous M-Net Original, Best Short Films, Best Scripted M-Net Original and Best Multichoice Talent Factory. E bin close for di 4th of May 2025. Dem go also vote two achievement awards wey dem go give out - na Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer awards. For di non-voting categories, wey include all of di acting categories, na panel of judges wey di AMVCA arrange go run am. Dose judges dey headed by one ogbonge filmmaker wey dem dey call Femi Odugbemi. One Netflix series wey dem dey call Seven Doors pack di most nomination of 11 wit im stars, Femi Adebayo and Chioma Chukwuka getting nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress categories. Lisabi (The Uprising) na di film wey get di second most nomination for di night as e score a total of ten nominations including for inside di acting categories. Many pipo dey look dis year edition, to see di fashion afta Tuesday Met Gala wey many pipo online bin no really feel wetin Nigerian stars bin wear, as dis na one of di awards wey dey popular for di fashion wey dey run for dia red carpet. AMVCA don make am part of dia tradition to give award for di Best Dressed of di night bifor even di award ceremony start. For 2024, one Ghanaian actress, Nana Akua Addo wey don win di AMVCA Best Dressed bifor tell BBC Pidgin say for her, AMVCA na her own Met Gala. Dis na as for 2020, she be one of di first celebs wey go win di Indian luxury brand Guarav Gupta sotey pesin even wear dat kain design go di 2024 Met Gala. Wetin to know about di 2025 AMVCA Dis na di 11th edition of di AMVCA wey dey considered as one of di biggest Movie and TV award shows for Africa. Di show dey expected to start by 7pm and di red carpet go start by 4pm. Di host for di nght na Ik Osakioduwa and performances dey expected by Johnny Drille, Fido, Serotonin, Kunmie and odas. 2025 Nominees for di AMVCA Best Movie Best Lead Actor Best Lead Actress Best Supporting Actress Best Supporting Actor Best Director Best Cinematography Best Editing Best Costume Design Best Makeup Best Digital Content Creator Best Documentary Best Series Scripted Best Series Unscripted Best Writing - Movie Best Writing - TV Series Best Art Direction Best Sound Design Best Music/Score Best Short Film Best Unscripted M-Net Original Best Indigenous Language (West Africa) Best Indigenous Language (East Africa) Best Indigenous Language (South Africa) Best Indigenous M-Net Original Best Scripted M-Net Original Best MultiChoice Talent Factory
