Kelani’s ‘Cordelia’ set for New York African Film Festival
10 May 2023 |
4:00 am
Nigerian ace filmmaker and culture advocate, Tunde Kelani, is set to open a new window for the promotion of Nigerian films in America, as his latest work, ‘Cordelia’, has been selected for 30th New York African Film Festival holding this month.
Tunde Kelani
Nigerian ace filmmaker and culture advocate, Tunde Kelani, is set to open a new window for the promotion of Nigerian films in America, as his latest work, ‘Cordelia’, has been selected for 30th New York African Film Festival holding this month.
According to the organisers of the festival, the film will be screened at Lincoln Centre on Monday, May 15, by 730pm.
The invitation by the festival organisers read: “We are pleased to invite your film Cordelia, to the 2023 New York African Film Festival.”
Director of the Festival, Mahen Bonneti, disclosed further, “Your film will screen at Film at Lincoln Centre on Monday, May 15 at 7:30pm, along with the short film, ‘Employee of the Month by Goga Clay’, part of the letter reads.
Set in Nigeria during the early 90s under military rule, ‘Cordelia’ was adapted from a work of fiction by renowned dramatist and poet, Femi Osofisan.
“It is a product of collaboration with people from different cultures and backgrounds, united by a creative force without boundaries,” stated Kelani, the 75-year-old founder/director of the epoch-making Mainframe Productions.
‘Cordelia’ is a period drama adapted from Osofisan’s novella, set in Nigeria during the early 90s under military rule. The story follows a university professor, who unwittingly becomes embroiled in a military coup. One morning, he arrives at his office worried about his wife’s strange behaviour and is soon visited by two curious students, one of whom is Cordelia Nwaeze Peters, daughter of a popular Colonel Nwaeze Peters of the Nigerian Army, recently implicated in a military coup.
As a result of the coup, there is general unrest, with students on a rampage and Cordelia’s life in danger.
The professor decides to save Cordelia’s life and becomes further enmeshed in the national crisis. General Peters, encouraged by the professor’s altruistic action towards his daughter, is able to foil the coup. After settling into a new position as head of government, General Peters offers the professor a cabinet position as compensation for saving his daughter’s life.
‘Cordelia’ is a gripping tale of sacrifice, bravery, and the lengths a person will go to protect those they care about in times of crisis.
Cast of the film includes stars such as Omowunmi Dada (Cordelia), William Benson (Dr. Adekunle), Yvonne Jegede (Remi), Keppy Ekpeyong (Col. Nwankwo Peters), Kelechi Udegbe (Major Kawale), Femi Adebayo (Rasaki), Taiwo Ibikunle (Ahmed), and Ropo Ewenla (Officer). Executive Producers of the film are Tayo Oladimeji and Kunle Adebiyi and directed by Tunde Kelani.
In his directorial note on the film, Kelani, whose signature is on other popular works as Saworoide, Thunderbolt, Maami, Dazzling Mirage among others, traces the processes that led to his picking on one of Osofisan’s most successful prose works, and as well the involvement of his international collaborators at the University of Delaware.
“The process of bringing the film Cordelia to life was a collaborative effort that spanned different continents and cultures. As a filmmaker, I have always sought to promote cultural diversity in my films and celebrate the rich heritage of Africa’s many cultures and languages. This is why I was excited to collaborate with Professor James Anderson, the Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Delaware and founder of the UD Cultural Fusion Initiative,” he said.
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