Soyinka’s ‘The Man Died’ Shot Entirely With Local Film Talents – Director

The director of ‘The Man Died,’ a film inspired by the prison notes of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, said the movie was shot solely with local film talents.

Awam Amkpa, former student, longtime associate of Soyinka and Professor of Drama, Film, Social and Cultural Analysis, said his choice of working on a project of such magnitude and quality was deliberate and intentional.

Although he had “an army of students who are bigtime filmmakers in Hollywood and elsewhere he could call on a whim to make and shoot the film in Nigeria”, his preference for authenticity, and learning anew in every project cemented his decision.

“We need to stress on the input of people intimately familiar with the cultural and political environment that shaped the Nobel Laureate and his narratives, irrespective of their skillsets.

The film is shot in Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria, with no input from any foreigner, except in the post-production. For me, every creative project is like going back to the basics and building back upwards. That is why for me, it was very educational to come here.”

Referenced local talents include screenwriter, Bode Asiyanbi; director of photography, Agbo Kelly; production designer and architect, Theo Lawson who has been involved in other film projects. Others include production manager, Adewale Emmanuel Orosun, associate producers, Makin Soyinka and Jahman Anikulapo, and is managed by ONE Management.

While the film shares title with Soyinka’s work published post his 22 months imprisonment, for his efforts to end the civil war during the Yakubu Gowon-led military regime, Asiyanbi stressed that it is a fictionalised adaptation of stories of his prison memoirs. he also described them  a short stories of events on his life, from his subsequent memoirs Ibadan Penkelemes Years and You Must Set Forth At Dawn.

Produced by cineaste, Femi Odugbemi’s film company, Zuri24Media, The Man Died will be specially screened on July 12 in Lagos.

Attendance, which is strictly by invitation, will convene eminent dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps, industry stakeholders, family, friends and key members of the cast and crew.

The screening also kickstarts global celebrations of Soyinka, who will clock 90 years old on July 13. Post the special screening, The Man Died will go on a tour of select festivals around the world before opening in public cinemas in Nigeria, the UK, USA, Europe, UAE and other centres within the African continent.