C.J (Fiery) Obasi’s pidgin-language arty film, Mami Wata, will represent Nigeria as its contender in the Best International Feature Film (formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film) category of the Oscar Awards.
The Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) led by actress and director, Stephanie Okereke-Linus, said on Sunday that it picked the film ahead of others for its “relevant theme – multiple generations of women at the forefront of society’s wellbeing; its unique approach to a story of pre and post-colonian African societies, as well as its technical and artistic excellence.”
The announcement comes three weeks after Mami Wata, written and directed by Obasi, garnered 12 nominations, the highest for this year, at the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) which will hold in Lagos, Nigeria on October 29.
The film had earlier this year won a special jury award for its cinematography at the Sundance film Festival.
Mami Wata officially becomes the second Nigerian film that will compete for shortlisting at Oscar’s IFF category after Desmond Ovbiageli’s The Mildmaid was selected to represent the country in 2020.
NOSC did not find any film worthy of consideration in 2021. And in 2022, it controversially declared as ineligible, the three outstanding films – Elesin Oba, Anikulapo and Agesinkole – which made it to its final shortlist.
Mami Wata is said to have qualified for consideration on the strength of the waiver that the Academy granted West African films that are substantially made in pidgin. The key rule for IFF stipulates that the film under consideration must have its dialogue substantially done in non-English language.
It was gathered that having crossed the hurdle of language/dialogue requirement, Mami Wata pulled more votes ahead of Femi Adebayo’s Jagun Jagun; Bolanle Austen-Peters’ Funmilayo and Odunlade Adekola’s Orisha.
It was learnt that the 14 members of the NOSC that voted included Okereke-Linus; Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, Dr. Victor Okhai, Andy Amenechi, Yibo Kolo and Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde.
Others were Izu Ojukwu, Tokunbo Odubawo, Emem Isong, Jude Idada, Dimeji Ajibola, Meg Otanwa and one Ngozi Okafor.
Mami Wata creatively explores the mythology of a titular mermaid-deity of West African folklore, and in the process celebrates womanhood.
Submitted films will go through shortlisting to prune down eligible films to 15 in December before the final five nominees will be picked in January 2024
The 96th Academy Awards holds on Sunday March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, USA.
