FILMS
Okechukwu Uwaezuoke
Another nice one from Bolanle Austen-Peters, a. k. a. BAP! Snapping up multiple nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2021 with her new film Collision Course affirms her relentless upward trajectory in the industry. Indeed, the statement by the award’s 17th edition’s head of jury Steve Ayorinde at the recent nomination announcement ceremony in the Victoria Island neighbourhood of Lagos chimes with the cognoscenti’s expectations.
It helps the film’s rating that Ayorinde deems the 2021 nominees list a reflection of the brilliance and creative excellence of filmmakers across Africa. The former Lagos State culture and tourism commissioner had disclosed that the entries were received from different parts of the continent for the award’s 26 categories. Hence, it’s quite remarkable that Collision Course, a feature film that guarantees the viewers a heart-thumping experience, shares the same honour roll with a handful of other first-rate movies, which include Omo Ghetto.
Then, there is also Collision Course’s selection as the 10th Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) 2021 closing film. And that, to industry’s cognoscenti, makes the film, which was directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters and produced by Joseph Umoibom and James Amuta, the festival’s centrepiece film.
AFRIFF, one of the continent’s foremost film festivals, holds in Lagos from Sunday, November 7 to Saturday, November 13 and will, in commemoration of its one decade of existence, be celebrated with much fanfare at the Landmark Event Centre.
Thus, the end-of-festival screening of Collision Course, which doubles as its Nigerian premiere, holds on Friday, November 12 and has enthusiastically been acknowledged by the industry amazon, who also produced the multiple award-winning 93 Days and directed the high-grossing feature film The Bling Lagosians. Her film production company BAP Productions is not only noted for its first-rate feature films, but also for exhilarating Broadway-style musical stage plays, which have been shown on international platforms especially in the UK and South Africa.
Back to Collision Course, it is equally noteworthy that it had emerged from more than the 4,000 entries, which, according to the AFRIFF’s creative director Jenny Alonzo, were submitted to the film festival from over 100 countries. And making the final list of the chosen 48 best films deserves the aficionados’ plaudits.
The film’s narrative, told in 24 hours, swirls around the lives of a law-enforcement agent, a young man and some rogue elements in the society and is inspired by the last year’s anti-police brutality protests (tagged) EndSARS that paralysed economic activities in many Nigerian cities. It features Nigeria’s top-rated actors as Chioma Akpotha, Daniel Etim Effiong, Kelechi Udegbe, Ade Laoye, Kenneth Okolie, Bimbo Manuel, Gregory Ojefua, Bamike Olawunmi-Adenibuyan (BamBam), Kalu Ikeagwu, and Nobert Young among others.
