The Nigerian movie, Mami Wata, which was produced and directed by Oge and CJ Obasi, took home the 2023 Sundance Film Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography.
CJ Obasi accepted the honour on behalf of Llis Soares, the director of photography. The award has brought the Nigerian film industry considerable honour. It proves that Lilis Soares and the entire “Mami Wata” team put a of hardwork into the film.
Commenting on the development, CJ Obasi said;
It means a lot. This was a dream, we worked so hard on this. A testament to what we were trying to create with the cinematography of the film. Lílis would say, ‘Aesthetics is political.’
The film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, expressed its delight at the accomplishment. The company said in a statement by its CEO, Moses Babatope, that it is honored to be a part of a movie that is influencing the Nigerian film industry and displaying the talent of the nation on a worldwide scale.
Babatope said;
We congratulate the entire team of ‘Mami Wata’ for this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing more of their work in the future.
A young woman who learns the truth about her ancestry and the factors that created her identity is the protagonist of the film “Mami Wata,” which explores the nuances of Nigerian culture and society through her eyes.