Juju Stories is a three-part anthology film exploring juju (magical) stories rooted in Nigerian folklore and urban legend, written and directed by C.J. Obasi, Abba Makama and Michael Omonua. The film features three stories: "Love Potion" by Omonua, "YAM" by Makama, and "Suffer The Witch" by Obasi.[2][3] It is scheduled for theatrical release in Nigeria on 21 January 2022.[4]
| Juju Stories | |
|---|---|
 First film poster | |
| Directed by | C.J. Obasi Abba Makama Michael Omonua |
| Written by | C.J. Obasi Abba Makama Michael Omonua |
| Produced by | Oge Obasi |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Femi Awojide |
| Edited by | Chinedum Okerengwor |
| Music by | Philippe Razol |
Production companies | iFind Pictures Fiery Film Company Osiris Creatives |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Language | English |
Cast
edit- Belinda Agedah Yanga as Mercy
- Paul Utomi as Leonard
- Elvis Poko as Tohfik
- Don Ekwuazi as Amos
- Nengi Adoki as Joy
- Bukola Oladipupo as Chinwe
- Timini Egbuson as Ikenna
- Seun Kentebe as Laolu
- Sarah Joe as Simi
- Oluwabunmi Sogade as Faith
- Uzoamaka Aniunoh as Upperclass Woman
- Michael O. Ejoor as Upperclass Man
- Eric Nwanso as Edet
- Ebuka Mike Uzoma Abiodun
- Mene Sodjie as Eunice
- Valerie Dish as Deborah
- Rhoda Albert as Patience
- Chisom Coco Ofor as Binta
- Elvis Duke as Ebele
- Donald Ndubuisi as Mark
- Saheed David as Lecturer
- Roseanne Adenuga as Mortician/Madwoman/Beggar
Plot Summary
editJuju Stories tackles juju in contemporary Lagos through three stories. In Love Potion, by Omonua, an unmarried woman agrees to use juju to find herself an ideal mate. In Yam, by Makama, consequences arise when a street urchin picks up seemingly random money from the roadside. In Suffer the Witch, by Obasi, love and friendship turns into obsession, when a young college woman attracts her crush's interest.
Reception
editJuju Stories first premiered at the 2021 edition of the Locarno Film Festival.[2][3][5][6][7] It won the Boccalino d'Oro award for best film.[8][9] It is scheduled for theatrical release in 12 countries on 31 October 2021.[10] It was listed as one of the best African films of 2022.[11]
Awards and recognition
edit| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Locarno Film Festival | Golden Leopard | Juju Stories | Nominated | [7] |
| International Competition: Special Mention | Nominated | [6] | |||
| Special Jury Prize | Nominated | ||||
| Nominated | |||||
| Leopard for Best Actress | Nominated | ||||
| Boccalino d'oro for Best Film | Won | [8][9] | |||
| Leopard for Best Direction | C.J. Obasi, Abba Makama, Michael Omonua | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Films Sections - Concorso internazionale".
- ^ a b "Anthology film 'Juju Stories' to world premiere at Locarno Film Festival". Pulse Nigeria. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- ^ a b Tv, Bn (2021-07-05). "Anthology Film "Juju Stories" to Premiere at Locarno Film Festival + Watch the Official Trailer". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- ^ Nwogu, Precious 'Mamazeus' (2021-12-24). "'Juju Stories' lands 2022 Nigerian theatrical release". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
- ^ "Locarno makes its voice heard with a 74th edition to be held in person". Cineuropa. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ a b "Noticias: Festival de Locarno 2021: Anunciaron toda la programación - Otros Cines". www.otroscines.com. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
- ^ a b "Concorso internazionale". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- ^ a b "Il Boccalino d'Oro a Marco Borradori". www.cdt.ch (in Italian). 2021-08-13. Archived from the original on 2021-10-16. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
- ^ a b "Boccalino d'oro, i premi della giuria indipendente". laRegione. 2021-08-14. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
- ^ "'Juju Stories' to premiere on Halloween of 2021". Pulse Nigeria. 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
- ^ "The best African films of 2021 | African Arguments". 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
External links
edit- Juju Stories at IMDb