One of Africa’s leading production houses Inkblot Production, has released their highly anticipated film titled ‘A Weekend to Forget (AWTF)’ today 22nd of September, 2023. It centers around seven friends who attend a weekend getaway together and things get sour.
AWTF stars an elite cast, including Daniel Etim-Effiong, Ini Dima-Okojie, Stan Nze, Erica Nlewedim, Elozonam Ogbulu, Uche Montana, Neo Akpofure and Akin Lewis. Also, it is the directorial debut of Inkblot’s co-founder, Damola Ademola.
The trailer kept us on the edge of our seats and on the 19th of September we joined the many guests, cast, and crew at The Good Beach, Victoria Island for the premiere. In this article, we’ll explore our 5 key takeaways from AWTF.
#1: The BBnajija stars didn’t come to play
Whoever said BBnaija stars should stick to only ambassadorship was wrong. Neo, Erica, and Elozonam brought their A-game to the film, evident in their mannerisms and actions.
In fact, Neo’s swimming talent, a fan favourite, has a dedicated scene that received a standing ovation and applause from the viewers at the cinema. Elozonam’s portrayal of an old-money friend is everything we can’t explain with words.
#2: It’s Your Typical Weekend Getaway until it’s not.
You would think the movie title gave the plot away, but there is more. From the extravagance of Elozonam’s wealth to Neo’s violence and much more, the unexpected twists and turns would have you at the edge of your seat.
A typical getaway starts with drama and sometimes ends in peace. In AWTF, however, it is anger, crime, and years of resentment shaping decisions and actions.
#3: It is intriguing
The trailer was quite intriguing. But the movie left us in awe; it kept us at the edge of our seats, so we’d advise that you see the film with a friend so you have a partner to do “wow” and “na wa o” and then analyze the movie with after it is all over. Its intrigue is embedded in the chaos, the suspense we were put in, and the blend of characters we will discuss in our next point. Nollywood has never delivered anything like this… until now!
#4: It has the perfect blend of old and new cats
If there’s something Inkblot never gets wrong, it is casting. In case you haven’t noticed, the cast of AWTF is a perfect blend of old and new actors.
Akin Lewis, for example, is on the “old cat” side, while Neo Akpofure is on the new side. This, of course, is sensational as we saw how they both did what needed to be done, and like Elozonam said in an interview, “Neo Would Surprise You”.
#5: The directing Is Superb
We’d have to applaud Damola Ademola for the direction of this film. From the trailer alone, you could already tell it was appropriately directed, but watching the movie takes it to another level.
The shots of the characters when they found out one of them was probably dead, the Instagram live that started the trailer, the water scene with Neo, and many more scenes back up our statement. And to think this is Ademola’s directorial debut. Does Nollywood have its latest genius in its hands or is it too soon to tell?
