Most of the negative comments made about the movie Half of a Yellow Sun before it premiered to the media in Nigeria penultimate Friday may be a lie after all.
Bandele (left), Ejiofor (middle) and Calderwood
For instance, long before it showed at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last year, it was said that all of Genevieve Nnaji’s scenes had been cut from the film adapted from a book of the same title by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Some of the people who saw it at the TIFF even said it was all drama and dialogue, a mere soap opera. That was however not the case at the first showing in Africa of the film.
It may be drama but this is one film that audiences will come back to see again and again. One reason is the believable action. In that and many other things it stands far out of the Nigerian crowd of films. Also commendable is the good acting, every actor from Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Odenigbo to the extras, gave it their all. Off course, that is expected since most of the extras are indeed stars in their own right.
The acting is first class, as well as the costume, set design and sound. Then there is the crisp picture as well as the short scenes with purpose. One only needs to see the gunshots and explosions in this film to believe it. Perhaps the only thing some may frown at is the ubiquitous bedroom scenes. Guess that is why movies are rated in the first place.
This film sure raises the bar. And coming from a first-time director, too, Biyi Bandele, who also wrote the script.
Among the other members of the stellar cast are: Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Joseph Mawle, John Boyega and Onyeka Onwenu.
Ejiofor, who was at the briefing after the media screening said he was “extraordinarily happy to be in the movie”.
He also took the opportunity to clear that air over the belief that he does not wish to acknowledge his Nigerian roots.
He said that when asked where he is from in an interview, he honestly answered England since he was born in England by Nigerian parents.
That answer, he said, was taken out of context to mean that he does not acknowledge his Nigerian roots.
Produced by Andrea Calderwood, Half of a Yellow Sun opens nationwide in cinemas on April 25.
