A Lagos film that reached Utah first
Olive Nwosu's Lady follows a woman who drives a taxi through Lagos at night, carrying women who do sex work across the city while she saves to leave for Freetown. It premiered at Sundance on 22 January, went to the Berlinale in February, and found an American distributor before it found a Nigerian one. When Culture Custodian asked in May, there was still no plan to show it here.
So when AFRIFF opened with Lady on 1 November, it felt like a homecoming that should never have taken this long.
A prize for everybody
Sundance gave Lady its Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble. I love that award, because it refuses to pick a star and insists the performance belongs to the people in the room together, which is exactly what Team Sheet tries to do for the people behind the camera as well.
Olive Nwosu
The credits name 26 of them. Nwosu wrote and directed. Alex Polunin, John Giwa-Amu and Stella Nwimo produced, with Tokunboh Sangodoyin and Jamiu Shoyode as coproducers. Alana Mejia Gonzalez shot it, Colin Monie and Gareth C. Scales cut it, Ollie Mayo scored it, Richard Evans designed the world of the film and Pat Adaeze dressed every woman in that taxi. Sunkanmi Adebayo cast it and Imole Kehinde managed the locations. Jessica Gabriel's Ujah, Amanda Oruh and Tinuade Jemiseye lead a cast that includes Bucci Franklin and, on the radio, Seun Kuti.
What I want next
I want Lady in Nigerian cinemas, in Lagos and well beyond it, at a price the women it was made about can afford. I also want the rest of the credits. Nobody is listed for sound, hair or makeup, and a film this alive did not happen without them.
The full team sheet
Writer and Director: Olive Nwosu
Producers: Alex Polunin (Ossian International), John Giwa-Amu (Good Gate), Stella Nwimo
Coproducers: Tokunboh Sangodoyin, Jamiu Shoyode (Emperium Films)
Cinematographer: Alana Mejia Gonzalez
Editors: Colin Monie, Gareth C. Scales
Composer: Ollie Mayo
Production Designer: Richard Evans
Costume Designer: Pat Adaeze
Casting Director: Sunkanmi Adebayo
Location Manager: Imole Kehinde
Lady: Jessica Gabriel's Ujah
Pinky: Amanda Oruh
Sugar: Tinuade Jemiseye
Young Lady: Petra Effiong
Young Pinky: Mitchelle Oluwafemi
Fine Boy: Bucci Franklin
DJ Revolution (voice): Seun Kuti
Cast: Eva Ibiam, Precious Agu Eke, Fadesaye Olateru-Olagbegi, Agu Chinenye Esthyraph, Binta Ayo Mogaji
Jessica Gabriel's Ujah as Lady
Production companies: Ossian International, Good Gate, Emperium Films
Backed by: Film4, the BFI, Screen Scotland
Amanda Oruh as Pinky
If you worked on Lady and your name is missing, send us your name and your job and we will add you.
The carousel version of this team sheet is on our Instagram.