It was a night of glitz and cultural pride in Los Angeles as Nollywood and Hollywood stars converged on the iconic TCL Chinese Theater for the premiere of Monday, an African-inspired short film by Nigerian filmmaker, Babajide Kolawole otherwise known as Jide Kol.
The glamorous event drew industry figures and movie-lovers from both continents, celebrating a project that bridges African tradition with Hollywood’s cinematic style.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the film, Kol explained that his time at the New York Film Academy in California exposed a glaring absence of Africa in global cinema studies.
“The inspiration comes from culture. During my time at the New York Film Academy in California, I realized how absent Africa was from the global cinema conversation. We studied American, Russian, Italian, Asian, and German cinema history, but not a single mention of Africa,” Kol said.
He added: “That fueled my determination to create a film blending Hollywood’s cinematic approach with the cultural content I grew up watching in Nigerian legends like Abija, Fadeyi Oloro, and Orishabunmi.”
The filmmaker and actor admitted the journey of shooting the film was far from smooth.
According to Kol, casting proved difficult as several actors within his Christian circle declined the lead role due to the storyline’s themes around African spirituality.
Rooted in Yoruba cosmology, the film titled; Monday explores the deity of fortune, Orisha Ajé, who is honored on Ojo Ajé, which corresponds to Monday in the English calendar
