C.J. "Fiery" Obasi's horror thriller "Ojuju" has won the best Nigerian film award at the 2014 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) that ended Saturday night at the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort in Calabar, Cross River State.
"Ojuju" beat the highly acclaimed "October 1" of Kunle Afolayan, "Invasion 1897" of Lancelot Imasuen and "Dazzling Mirage" of Tunde Kelani among other nominees. The movie that was shot on a budget is Obasi's second feature. His first feature "Jim & Joan" premiered at the 2012 annual Eko International Film Festival at the Silverbird Cinemas, Silverbird Galleria on Victoria Island, Lagos.
Acclaimed filmmaker Kunle Afolayan's historic fiction "October 1" won the most coveted Best Feature Film award in competition with more than 75 films. His film also won the Best Actor award for veteran actor Sadiq Daba for his role as "Inspector Waziri" in "October 1" and the Best Screenplay award for Tunde Babalola, the screenwriter.
Other winners include Andrew Dosunmu who won the Best Director award for "Mother of George"; Bola Agbaje and Destiny Ekaragha won the Viewers’ Choice Award for "Gone Too Far";Thishiwe Ziqubu won the Best Actress award for South African film "Hard To Get"; Joanna Lipper won the Best Documentary award for "The Supreme Price"; Samantha Nell of South Africa won the Best Short Film for "Stiff"; Naji Ismail won the Special Jury Prize for Egyptian film, "Om Amira" and Iquo Essien won the Best Student Short Film award for "Aissa’s Story".
"Ojuju" is Nollywood's most daring Zombie movie and joins the list of other Zombie movies in the horror genre.
Synopsis
Romero’s (Gabriel Afolayan) neighbourhood is in trouble. People are suddenly manifesting symptoms of rabid river blindness . With his friends, Emmy (Kelechi Udegbe) and Peju (Omawunmi Dada) he struggles to understand how the neighbourhood’s sole source of water supply could have been infected. However, there’s no time to ponder because they all must survive and fight their way through to escape the infested neighbourhood.
Cast
Gabriel Afolayan (Romero) Omowummi Dada (Peju) Kelechi Udegbe (Emmy) Chidozie Nzeribe (Fela) Brutus Richard (Gaza) Meg Otanwa (Alero) Yvonne Enakhena (Aisha) Jumoke Ayadi (Iya Sikiru) Tommy Oyewole (Officer Lade) Emeka Okoye (The Chemist) Paul Utomi (The First Ojuju) And introducing, Kelechi Joseph (Teenage Boy)
Crew
C.J. "Fiery" Obasi (Writer, Producer, Director, Editor) Oge Ugwu (Producer) Tunji Akinsehinwa (director of photography) Victor Akpan (Prod.designer/art director) Ebuka Mike Uzoma (Set designer) Frank Ekwem (AD) Albert Esu (Script supervisor) Muri Sabili (Production Manager) Lawrence Adama (Second Camera) Funke Olowu (Make-up FX) Yewande Adams (Make-up FX asst) Dorothea Nana (Additional Make-up) Murtala Abdulsalam (Gaffer) Sunday Adesugba (Sound) Peter and Young (Still Photography)
About the Director
C.J. Obasi (also known as "Fiery") was born and raised in small town, Owerri, Nigeria. C.J. grew up watching Hammer House of Horror films and reading Stephen King novels. As a child, he developed a knack for drawing and selling comics based on all his favourite movies and superheroes at the time. Much later on in life, C.J. would put aside his degree in Computer Science from the University of Nigeria (UNN) to launch into film making, full-time. C.J., called “Fiery” or “The Fiery One” by many within and without the industry, has worked on short films, documentaries, TV series and music videos as director, writer, cinematographer and editor. Jim & Joan, his debut feature, was shot in his childhood home in Owerri, as well as some choice beach spots on Lagos Island. Jim & Joan, an art house surrealistic piece, was made without a formal budget, with financial backing from C.J’s friend and partner, Benjamin Stockton. Jim & Joan was screened as the Closing Film at the Eko International Film Festival in November 2012, were it was noted as “the most daring film” in the festival, and C.J’s work was compared to the Danish auteur, Lars von Trier’s expressionism. C.J. set up his company “Fiery Film” in 2012. Soon after, his friend Benjamin Stockton, a screenwriter and movie aficionado from California came on board to help run the company. Fiery Film is currently in post-production for a horror thriller feature film “Ojuju”, written, directed and edited by C.J. C.J. is also developing two feature films “Otown” a crime thriller epic piece, which C.J. calls his “Western in an Eastern land” and describes as “His exploration into genre-film making”, as well as an unnamed period piece. C.J. has also worked as an editor on productions, such as Apostates (a feature film), and commercials for brands, including Globacom.
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