Nollywood actress, Genevieve Nnaji’s latest feature film, ‘I Do Not Come To You By Chance’ has screened at the ongoing Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).
The film which is an adaptation of Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s award-winning debut novel of the same title, tells the story of Kingsley, a first-born son, who struggles to provide for his beloved family when his ailing father’s income dwindles.
Intelligent but poorly connected in the Nigerian labour market, Kingsley takes a job working for his notorious uncle, Cash Daddy, the larger-than-life mastermind of a thousand email scams. As Kingsley falls reluctantly under his mentor’s spell, he discovers his own innate flair for the art of the confidence trick.
The popular Nollywood actress and director makes a return to the movie scene as an executive producer of the project, along with Chinny Carter.
Told in English and Igbo, the movie is directed by Ishaya Bako, with Femi Awojide as Director of Photography. It features Blossom Chukwujekwu and newcomer Paul Nnadiekwe. Other cast members include Jennifer Eliogu, Sambasa Nberibe, and Beverly Osu.
The director describes the movie as “a universal story. It’s a story of family, a story of ambition and a story of greed. Confidence scams or tricks have existed for over a century, since the Spanish prisoner letters in the 1800s, and the Nigerian Prince or 419 scams are an evolution of this.
They have taken their own notoriety over the decades, but the book provided a more nuanced narrative which made it a lot more interesting to read, and to imagine as a film. The producers and I put a lot of care and thought into the development and production of the film and I think our adaptation of I Do Not Come To You By Chance beautifully reflects the intersection of Nigerian literature and film.”
Prior to screening in Nigeria on Thursday November 9, 2023, the film made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as part of this year’s Centrepiece (formerly Contemporary World Cinema) program.
