7 minute read
Filmakers in Nigeria?
They have to be miracle workers!
Film director, writer and producer CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi is the master of Nigerian horror. Despite being shot on a ‘zero budget’, his debut feature ‘Ojuju’ was named Best Nigerian Film at the Africa International Film Festival, setting in motion a garlanded filmmaking career that recently including winning Best Film for his latest release, collaborative effort ‘Juju Stories’, at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in August. Here the Lagos-based auteur reveals to FLYafrica the reason Nigeria is so suited to horror, why calling a woman a ‘witch’ is a compliment and the imminent release of ‘Juju Stories’ in West African cinemas.
@surreal16collective in @afrikaldia
Q: Congratulations on ‘Juju Stories’ winning Best Film at the recent Locarno Film Festival (along with nominations for six other awards). What does this mean to you and your team and what do you hope it will mean in terms of getting a wider audience for the film?
Winning the Boccalino d’Oro Award for Best film, awarded by independent critics at the world premiere of your film at one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world definitely gives you the needed push for distribution… and that’s already happening.
Q: The three stories in the film examine elements of traditional folklore and spiritual beliefs in contemporary Lagos. How influential still are these beliefs even among your generation?
Spirituality and superstition have always been at the very core of Nigerian life. Both with the young and old. And it was interesting to us, that even in the contemporary society, among young people there is still a potent fear of the supernatural. So, it was only natural to explore those fears in cinematic form, as it readily fits into our manifesto as a collective.
Q: The story you wrote and directed in the trilogy, 'Suffer the Witch', centres around an obsessive romantic relationship. Can you share more details?
Suffer the Witch is part of my larger narrative on Afrikan witches or witchcraft. I dipped my toe into this with my segment “Bruja” in our anthology short Visions (2017), and then with Hello, Rain (2018). I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of witches, because I feel like women are already witches. And I mean this as a compliment. What they choose to do or not do with their power is what makes the difference. In ‘Suffer the Witch’ I amplify what was a real-life experience at a former college I attended into a make-believe scenario that is however grounded in a relatable emotion, such as obsession. I’ve always felt like the best away to explore the supernatural is through the specifics of human nature. And without giving anything away, ‘Suffer the Witch’ allowed me to do just that.
Q: There are elements of horror in the story, a genre you have worked in since your debut 2014 film ‘Ojuju’. What is the appeal of horror to you and what do you hope your films add to the genre?
Perspective. I’ve seen very little-tono horror or just the fantastical genres from the Nigerian, West African or African perspective. Which when you think about is absurd, considering that our world, our traditions, our way of life screams the genre. The scarcity of this appeals to me, but even more so, the opportunity to present a nuanced offering, devoid of stereotype and genre expectations.
Q: Ojuju was shot on a ‘zero budget’. You had more funds available for ‘Juju Stories’. Was that always an advantage?
Ojuju was shot on a zero budget, so pretty much everything else I’ve made after it had more available funds, and it shows. However, Ojuju is a gift that keeps giving. And I believe, the money we didn’t have to make it, we made up with the love we poured into it, and that shows. This is why I believe it’s on every major Best Zombie Films list, alongside greats and classics.
Q: Do you have to be resourceful as a filmmaker in Nigeria?
Absolutely. However, if you’re not Steven Spielberg, you have to be resourceful as a filmmaker [anywhere]. And even then. I’m sure those guys still wish they had a few more million dollars to do that shot. Filmmaking is an intensely expensive venture. And coming from Nigeria, I’ll just say beyond money, there are perhaps a few more odds stacked against you. So, filmmakers in Nigeria? Miracle workers, period.
Q: You had your ‘Ojuju’ zombies infected by drinking contaminated water in a country where access to a clean water source is a problem still. Some of the best horror films manage to address contemporary social issues within a fantastical tale. Is that your intention?
I like to think I do. And all the best films in history do. At least, the ones I think are the best. Coming where I’m from, and growing up the way I did, how can they not?
Q: What is the story behind your ‘Fiery’ nickname?
It came from a dream. No further comments.
Q: ‘Juju Stories’ had a recent private screening in Lagos. Are there plans for the film to be shown at cinemas in West Africa?
Juju Stories is the first official Franco-Nigerian coproduction, so the Embassy of France in Nigeria hosted a private screening in Lagos for the industry on August 27. CanalOlympia will be releasing the film in theatres across 12 countries in Africa, including West Africa. But we are still discussing to lock down more screens for early 2022.
Q: In 2012 you set up production house Fiery Film Company with your wife. Does it try to get films made for other talented Nigerian creatives as well as yourself and are you seeing a new generation of homegrown filmmakers coming through?
I set up Fiery Film before I met Oge, my wife. But she was already working in the film industry years before I came in, so she had way more experience. I was the dreamer, and she just made things happen. We have big plans to make Fiery Film the one-stop shop for genre filmmaking from Nigeria. And I’ll say that our body of work for nine years speaks for itself, especially, when you consider that we did it all mostly without any corporate or government structure or support. If we came from any other clime, investors would be lining up on our doorsteps, but hey. However, we are playing in much bigger leagues now, and are open to work with other filmmakers. And we will do this, when the right projects come along. We already did this in a way with Oge producing Juju Stories for the Surreal16 Collective under Fiery Film, as well as our new production banner 20 Pounds Production.
Q: What stage is another film project of yours, ‘Mami Wata’, at? It seems it has been in production for a few years now. Can you tell us more about it and when you hope it will be released?
Mami Wata is a black and white fantasy film based on West Afrikan folklore. I’ve been developing it since 2016. Between 2018 to 2019 we participated in several writing and pitching labs in Africa and Europe. And after waiting for five years for funding, we eventually locked down some private funds between Nigeria production companies and France, with Ifind Pictures and went into principal photography in Benin Republic in January 2021, with a crew and cast spanning eight countries, including Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Brazil, USA and Germany. Now, we are in the early post-production stage, and we have been selected for Final Cut at the prestigious Venice Film Festival [in September], as well as another post-production workshop we can’t announce yet.
Q: When you were a young boy, you used to draw comics featuring the heroes and villains from your favourite films. Now you are an awardwinning filmmaker, what advice do you have for other creative youngsters unsure about whether they can turn their passion into a career?
I always say that my dreams came true and are still coming true, not because I’m the smartest or the hardest working dude out there, but simply because I wouldn’t stop. So, my advice to them would be, don’t stop.
Find out more
Follow CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi on social media: Facebook, twitter and instagram @FieryFilm
Visit Fiery Film’s website at afieryfilm.com
@surreal16collective in @afrikaldia
