EbonyLIfe CEO and film producer, Mo Abudu, is inching towards adding the title of a Director to her name.
The 58-year-old former TV host had studied directing at London Film School in 2017 to hone her filmmaking skills.
Since her first full-length film, ‘Fifty’, was released in 2015, she has been in charge of the plot as an executive producer and visionary, although has always recruited competent directors to lead each production.
A statement issued by her read: “I believe in learning and understanding any major assignment I undertake. Directing is an art form that takes years to master, so I’m beginning with baby steps. I have written two short films that I will be directing – ‘Her Perfect Life’ and ‘Iyawo Mi (My Wife)’, a predominantly Yoruba language film.
“Although these stories are fictional, they highlight the mental health challenges, hardly spoken about in Nigerian society, that many people deal with all over the world. Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, income, or social class, and they are on the increase”
‘Her Perfect Life’ tells the story of 39-year-old Onajite Johnson-Ibrahim, who has a loving husband, two beautiful children, a flourishing career, and a growing business. She seems to have the ideal life, but the problem is that she plans to end it all. The film stars Pearl Thusi, Joseph Benjamin, Omowumi Dada, Uzo Osimpka, Christian Paul and Mary Lazarus.
The second short film titled ‘Iyawo Mi (My Wife)’ casts Adedimeji Lateef, Bolaji Ogunmola, Segun Arinze and Jude Chukwuka.
It follows the ordeal of Kunle who returns home one night to discover a nightmare waiting for him – his wife seems to have gone insane, hallucinating, yelling at their children and neighbours and threatening to murder everyone. Kunle takes affairs into his own hands, with devastating results.