Mo Abudu, the Nigerian media mogul behind EbonyLife Media, has launched a new label, Mo Abudu Films, which aims to broaden the spectrum of Nigerian cinema by creating more “personal and intimate” films that “harvest the voices and perspectives of underrepresented defend communities. ”
The label will also serve as a vehicle for Abudu’s directorial ambitions. The prolific producer of such Nigerian blockbusters as Fifty And The wedding party as well as TV series, including those from Netflix Blood Sisters has directed two short films, Her perfect life And Iyawo Mi (my wife)those will be the first titles on Mo Abudu Films list.
Both projects focus on mental health issues, a taboo topic in Nigeria and much of Africa. Her perfect life follows Onajite Johnson Ibrahim (Pearl Thusi), a woman in her thirties who seems to have the ideal life on Instagram – a thriving career, a loving husband (Ahmed Ibrahim) and two bright and beautiful children – but secretly suffers from depression and contemplates suicide.
Iyawo Mi looks at the mental health of the poorest in Nigeria, in a story of a Kunle (Lateef Adedimeji), a young married man whose wife Eniola (Bolaji Ogunmola) has had a nervous breakdown and begins hallucinating, yelling at their children and neighbors and threatening kill everyone around her. Kunle tries to take matters into his own hands, with tragic consequences.
“We believe that through our work we can spark conversations and drive positive change,” says Abudu, sharing a mission statement for the new cinema label, “while paving the way for a more inclusive and just world.”
Iyawo Mi And Her perfect life will be screened later this month at the Cannes Short Film Corner, an industry section of the Cannes Festival designed to showcase new directorial talent. Both are also invited to the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, which runs August 4-12.
