Laju Iren Advocates Stronger Female Narratives In Upcoming Film

Filmmaker Laju Iren, popularly known as The Lord’s Storyteller, has called for more multidimensional portrayals of women in African cinema as she prepares for the release of her latest project, Onobirẹ́n: A Woman’s Story.

Speaking in an interview with Potpourri, Iren said audiences should expect a refreshing representation of women when the film opens in cinemas nationwide on March 6.

According to her, many African stories continue to frame women primarily through marriage and motherhood, leaving little room for broader identities.

“If you notice very closely, having strong female characters, especially when it doesn’t directly deal with marriage and family, is not really very prevalent in our part of the world. Women are multifaceted people, but many stories do not really present them as multifaceted,” she said.

The film centres on Roli, a fisherwoman and businesswoman whose journey mirrors the lived realities of many African women, whose contributions are often underrepresented on screen.

“There are many African women like that around the continent, but we don’t really see that come to the fore in storytelling. There are many stories about a woman as a wife and as a mother, and those things should never be gainsaid. But it will be good to see a woman challenge gender norms,” she added