MAMI WATA
C.J. Obasi
Nigeria 2023, 107 minutes, black and white
Feature film
Pidgin, Fon, English with English subtitles
Followed by a Q&A with cinematographer Lilis Soares
FRIDAY 25. OCTOBER 2024 | 20H
MOVIE 1 | MOVIEMENTO
In Iyi village, villagers worship the mermaid deity Mami Wata and turn to their healer Mama Efe, the intermediary between them and Mami Wata, as well as Mama Efe’s daughter, Zinwe, and her protégé, Prisca. When the children begin to die and disappear, Jabi, a local resident, casts doubt on the population, while Zinwe flees, driven by her own anguish. Soon, the arrival of a rebellious warlord, Jasper, tips the scales in Jabi’s favor. Mama Efe is murdered and Jasper takes the opportunity to take control of the village, while Prisca and Zinwe must plot to save Iyi and restore Mami Wata’s glory.
C.J. Obasi has directed features and shorts such as Ojuju (2014), Hello, Rain (2018), Juju Stories (2021), featuring in over 80 film festivals, including Gothenburg, BFI London, Fantasia, Oberhausen and Locarno. In 2016, Obasi and co-directors, Abba Makama and Michael Omonua founded a cinema collective called Surreal16 to challenge the Nollywood status-quo by creating boundary-pushing surreal genre films. Mami Wata is his latest project.
Filmstill © Mami Wata
Lilis Soares is a Brazilian Director of Photography, winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography at SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2023 and first woman to win Best Cinematography at FESPACO, 2023. She studied at the Institut International de l’Image et du Son in France, and Radio & TV at UFRJ. She has worked in Digital media, TV and Cinema across Brazil, France, Russia, Switzerland, Angola, Benin and Republic of Congo. She was the Director of Photography on the Nigerian black and white feature film “Mami Wata”, directed by C.J. Obasi, the Brazilian feature fictions “Um dia com Jerusa” and “Ó, paí, ó 2” directed by Viviane Ferreira, on “Nosso lar 2”, directed by Wagner de Assis, and on the feature documentary “Diálogos com Ruth de Souza” directed by Juliana Vicente. She was the main cinematographer on TV series “Amar é para os fortes” (Amazon), “Fim de comédia” and “Meninas do Benfica.” She also worked as camera operator on the feature film “Outono – um ano inesquecível” (Amazon), TV series “Sessão de Terapia” (Globoplay) and “Não foi minha culpa” (Disney). Lilis is also the winner of the 2020 Helena Ignez prize for her work in three movies including Mostra de Tiradentes.