“Aiyefele’’ a revived cultural folktale set to hit Nigerian cinemas

A movie named “Aiyefele” is set to be released in Nigeria on May 3rd, 2024 at the Blue Pictures located in City Mall, Onikan, Lagos. The movie aims to revive the timeless tradition of African folktale storytelling. Inspired by the legendary works of Pa Ogunde, where stories were told through singing, dancing, and poetry, the film sets out to transport viewers to a world brimming with myths, and romance amidst seemingly chaotic circumstances.

Starring A-list Actors such as Odunlade Adekola, Mercy Aigbe, Femi Branch, Bimbo Oshin, Biola Adebayo, Rotimi Salami, Akinola Akano, Lara Victorious, and others, the movie promises to equip the audience with knowledge on how to seek for solutions to life problems.

Speaking exclusively in an interview with City People Magazine Reporter, the Executive Producers, Toyin Moore and Tayo Utomi explained the journey of “Aiyefele” from script to screen below;

What inspired the creation of the movie Aiyefele?

We grew up in the days of Pa Ogunde where history and stories were told with singing, dancing and poetry. Watching his film, ‘Aiye’ left an unforgettable impression, especially with the myths, fanfare, magic and the injection of romance into seemingly chaotic situations. Aiyefele was inspired by the love and thirst to recreate that rich cultural folktale story-telling about things that happened in the past. We wanted to retain our authentic rich African vibe to tell a story as a mythical folktale, with the right balance to reach a relatable resolution and the fairy tale romance of the prince falling in love with an ordinary girl in the village. This story is created with that strong impression of the days of Ogunde to tell a story that is relevant today.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during production?

Time and finance would top the list. Initially, we thought we had enough time to shoot the film, but towards the end of it, there were still so many scenes to shoot, and it was tough going back to the location after some of the cast had dispersed. Some of the cast also had to travel from England which meant increased cost on the production budget. We also had a tough challenge of getting a suitable location in England since the film is set in the colonial days. We got some good locations that cancelled at the last minute and that threw us off a bit with timing. By some stroke of luck, we found a church built in the 18th century which fitted perfectly into the setting. The success of the production is down to the commitment and the ‘can-do’ attitude of the cast and crew which generated a unifying spirit to get things done.
Also, the film is self-funded, which means a lot of investment by the Executive Producers. But looking back, we pat ourselves on the back that it is well worth it.

How did you approach casting for the film?

With every successful film, when reading the script, some actors would automatically come to mind, because you have seen their work and you know they can project the story and appeal to the audience. Some of such actors were invited to audition. Expectedly, some of them were busy with other projects, but we also got some of the actors we set out to get. There was a video auditioning for some of the actors in England. Generally, people just responded to the call for auditioning and the lucky ones got their roles.
What themes or messages do you hope audiences will take away from the film?
Beyond the culture and historical angle, the theme of Aiyefele is about knowledge and the fact that sometimes the solution we seek is not very far away from us.

How do you think this film contributes to the current cultural or societal conversation?

It contributes strongly to the new awakening for original and authentic African wears and fashion, such as the adoption of Adire, which can be traced all the way back to earlier centuries. Adire is richly seen alongside some other African clothing. This film is so rich in culture and reminds us of how poetic the Yoruba dialect is and how music and dance are innate to us as a people. Even in the diaspora, people are enrolling their children to learn the Nigerian language. Aiyefele lends itself to the authenticity of our culture and proudly exhibits pride in our heritage

Can you discuss the collaborative process behind the scenes?

There is a lot of collaboration because we had to work with actors from different nationalities and cultures. We had to integrate the scenes shot in England and Nigeria with the crew and editors in different locations, so we had to find a way to make everything work. It was like a relay race to make sure that the person with the baton hand over to the next racer as early as possible. We had a deadline to submit the film for censoring in the UK for the premiere, and we had to find a way to make sure the UK version got to Nigeria as early as possible and to get the complete film back to UK. It was really a crazy race to the finish line. It was exciting to see people in different locations and different skills working together to create one big picture. This film is also a collaborative effort between two Executive Producers, the Double Tees, Toyin Moore and Tayo Utomi. We had been discussing about working together on a book-based movie and we also share the same passion for African stories which would depict our great heritage and are engaging enough to keep people glued to the screen. That is what made it easy to bring Aiyefele to live and make a success of it. We are still collaborating on the post-production process of exhibiting and promoting the film to the world. Aiyefele is a baby with a nurturing father and mother.

What was it like working with the cast and crew?

It was a great working relationship that transcended work. It was like a big family and everyone brought their awesome energy to get things over the line. Most of the lead actors in Nigeria have known each other and worked together in the past and that made the synergy easy. Lara Aiyeomoni is one of the lead actors that resides in England, and she was relatively new to the Nigerian set. But she was easily integrated and she felt very welcomed. In a nutshell, the cast and crew worked like one big boisterous family with a unifying mission. When you watch the film, you would agree that it is a brilliant work.

What do you hope audiences will feel or experience while watching the film?

Aiyefele is a potpourri of feelings: emotional, interesting, funny, suspenseful and enlightening. We want the audience to feel the emotions the actors pass on as they work through the challenges besetting the community. There is the anguish of a grieving parent, the helplessness of a people, the subtlety of a wise woman, the desperation of a few, the determination to find peace in the face of hopelessness and the joyfulness of finding love. During the London premiere, some people shed tears because they could personally relate with some of the scenes. Fortunately, Aiyefele ends on a good high, so we also want people to be assured that there will always be light after a bout of darkness.

Are there any upcoming projects or follow-ups related to this film?

We have a few in the kitty. There is one with a theme of abusive relationships and another story on societal issues.

How do you envision the film’s impact beyond its premiere?

We have done a nationwide release in the United Kingdom. We are in the course of the Nigerian release starting from May 3rd. We are also working on screening in North America. Our focus is to get Aiyefele on streaming platforms and inflight entertainment so our teaming fans can have the opportunity to watch wherever they are.

How do you intend to prevent your movie from being pirated?

The first thing is to work with a trusted crew and we believe we started right with that. Another thing is to limit exchange for distribution and to ensure any copy going out is watermarked. Above all, we can only try our best and expect people to deal above board.

Promise Babatunde