Kunle Afolayan’s cross-cultural movie, The Bridge, was premiered in cinemas across Nigeria on Friday, December 8.
Produced by Muka Ray with funding from Bank of Industry (BOI), it is a tale of romance across the Niger.
A special screening was held in Lagos on Saturday, December 9 with Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and other stakeholders from the public and private sectors in attendance.
Here are four reasons you should see The Bridge.
- The Kunle Afolayan factor
Kunle Afolayan is one of Nigeria’s finest actors and filmmakers whose works have been showcased across the world.
A leader of what some people conveniently call New Nollywood, the 43-year-old has directed seminal works like Irapada, The Figurine, Phone Swap, October 1, The CEO and The Tribunal among others.
Apart from directing, he also acts as a pilot in The Bridge.
- Chidinma Ekile’s acting debut
After mesmerising fans with her songs and music videos, Chidinma Ekile makes her feature film debut in The Bridge.
She plays the role of Stella, the Igbo lover of a Yoruba prince, Obadare (Demola Adedoyin).
Binta Ayo Mogaji, Zack Orji, Tina Mba, Adebayo Salami, Lere Paimo, Wole Olowomojuore, Lanre Hassan and Jimoh Aliu are some of the veterans on whose shoulders the younger actors climbed.
- Culture clash
When a young lady from a distinguished Igbo family falls in love and secretly marries a Yoruba Prince against their parents’ wish, the result is a tribal tension that threatens to consume both families.
Beyond the culture clash, however, The Bridge showcases aspects of Yoruba and Igbo cultures – clothes, music and language – that will fascinate viewers.
- The end
Writers of some of Kunle Afolayan’s scripts have been accused of sometimes losing the plot before or right at the end.
That is not the case with Shola Dada who scripted this work
The Bridge is worth waiting until the end for even if the outcome leaves you sobbing.
