Trailer now available for viewing ahead of cinema release in 2020
31 October 2019, Lagos, Nigeria – EbonyLife Films today announced that its latest film, Òlòtūré, has been selected for an official screening at the world-famous Carthage Film Festival. Created in 1966, to bring African and Arab filmmakers together and to recognise their work, the festival takes place annually in the historic city of Tunis in Tunisia.
Many of Africa’s most respected filmmakers, such as Sembene Ousmane, ‘the father of African cinema’, and Med Hondo, got their initial exposure at Carthage. They went on to win prizes at Cannes, Berlin, Moscow and other leading international film festivals, paving the way for later generations of filmmakers.
Set in Nigeria, Òlòtūré is the story of a young, naïve Nigerian journalist who goes undercover to expose the shady underworld of human trafficking. Unused to this brutal environment, crawling with ruthless traders and pimps, Òlòtūré finds warmth and friendship with Blessing, Linda and Beauty, the prostitutes she lives with. However, she gets drawn into their lifestyle and finds it difficult to cope. In her quest to uncover the truth, this rookie reporter pays the ultimate price – one that takes her to the verge of no return.
The premiere screening of Òlòtūré took place at Le 4ème Art Cinema, Avenue de Paris, Tunis on Thursday 31st October at 6:00 pm. In attendance were director Kenneth Gyang, executive producer Mo Abudu and lead cast, including Sharon Ooja, Omoni Oboli and Omowunmi Dada.
The trailer will be available from today, 1st November 2019, as the film begins its festival run. Cinema release is scheduled for the end of the first quarter 2020. Be the first to see the trailer here.
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The director, Kenneth Gyang is an AFS Fellow at University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, a graduate of the prestigious EAVE European Producers Workshop and co-founder of the film production company Cinema Kpatakpata. His first film, Confusion Na Wa (2013), won Best Film and Best Nigerian Film at the 2013 African Movie Academy Awards, as well the Jury Prize at the 2014 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. The Lost Café (2017), his second feature, was the Audience Prize winner at the Africa International Film Festival in Nigeria and Golden Palm winner at the 2018 Mexico International Film Festival. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5763427/
Executive producer, Mo Abudu launched EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first global black entertainment and lifestyle network in 2013. In her quest to change global perception about Africa, Mo created EbonyLife Films. She is the Executive Producer of Fifty, the no.1 Nigerian film of 2015; The Wedding Party (2016), the most successful Nollywood film ever at the Nigerian box office; The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai (2017), the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time; and Chief Daddy (2018), the third-highest grossing Nigerian film. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5801801/
Òlòtūré is a viscerally depicted, sobering thriller that highlights a major international crisis. Human trafficking is a global problem, but it’s a local one too. Trafficking networks are flourishing across Africa through the exploitation of hundreds of thousands of migrants. According to the UN, more than 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders annually — often duped with promises of a better life overseas, then sold into forced labour, domestic servitude or sexual slavery.