January 30, (THEWILL) – Mami Wata, a Nigerian film directed by CJ Obasi and produced by Oge Obasi, has won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
The award was accepted by CJ Obasi on behalf of the Director of Photography, Lílis Soares.
The Sundance Film Festival is one of the most prestigious and highly-regarded film festivals in the world.
The award has brought a great honour to the Nigerian film industry. It attests to the fact that a lot of hard work and dedication was put into the movie by Lilis Soares and the entire team of ‘Mami Wata’.
Speaking about the development, CJ Obasi said, “It means a lot. This was a dream, we worked so hard on this. A testament to what we were trying to create with the cinematography of the film. Lílis would say, ‘Aesthetics is political.’”
The film “Mami Wata” is a powerful and thought-provoking story that explores the complexities of Nigerian culture and society through the eyes of the protagonist, a young woman who discovers the truth about her heritage and the forces that shaped her identity.
FilmOne Entertainment, the distribution company behind the film, said they are thrilled with the achievement.
In a statement by its CEO, Moses Babatope, the company said they are proud to be part of a film that is making an impact in the Nigerian film industry and showcasing the country’s talent on the global stage.
“We congratulate the entire team of ‘Mami Wata’ for this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing more of their work in the future,” Babatope said.
