Eyimofe Explained

Eyimofe
Director:Arie Esiri
Chuko Esiri
Producer:Melissa Adeyemo
Arie Esiri
Chuko Esiri
Starring:Jude Akuwudike
Temi Ami-Williams
Music:Akin Adebowale
Cinematography:Arseni Khachaturan
Editing:Andrew Stephen Lee
Studio:GDN Studios, Kimiera, Ominira Studios
Distributor:Janus Films
Runtime:114 minutes
Country:Nigeria
Language:English
Nigerian Pidgin
Yoruba

Eyimofe (Eyimofe: This Is My Desire) also known as This Is My Desire is a 2020 Nigerian drama film produced, written and directed by twin brothers Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri on their directorial debuts.[1] The film is made of two chapters called Spain and Italy.[2] The film stars Jude Akuwudike and Temi Ami-Williams in the main lead roles. The film was opened to positive reviews from critics and was screened at various global international film festivals in 17 countries.[3] [4] [5]

Synopsis

Split into two different chapters, the film revolves around factory worker technician Mofe (Jude Akuwudike) and hairdresser Rosa (Temi Ami-Williams) on their quest for what they anticipate and believe will be a better life on foreign shores. Mofe wishes to go to Spain and Rosa hopes to go to Italy. However, Mofe loses his family, while Rosa fails in taking care of her younger pregnant sister and marries her landlord out of necessity.

Cast

Production

The film was announced by twin brothers Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri as they jointly worked on the project. The film marked the directorial debut for them as they co-directed the film.[6] The film was funded entirely in Nigeria and was shot in 16mm and was filmed across 48 locations in Lagos where the film was set. Few portions of the film were also shot in New York.[7] The film was awarded the 2018 Purple List Award and was chosen as one of the ten projects in 2019 IFP Narrative Lab in New York.[8]

Release

The film has screened at various international film festivals held in South Africa, Netherlands, US, Italy, Poland, UK, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, UAE, Canada, Austria, China, Greece, Egypt, Germany and India.[9] [10] [11]

The film was officially selected to be premiered in 17 countries in their respective film festivals as follows

Reception

The film received positive reviews from critics. Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com gave it 3.5 stars out of four, writing that it is "a confident, knowing, empathetic effort. While the themes here are, of course, redolent of neorealism, the filmmakers don’t make ostentatious nods to cinema past. Their voice is their own; the camera is mobile when it needs to be, but stands still much of the time, letting the excellent cast build their characters as the events of the film test their endurance. And endurance rather than desire is what the movie is finally all about."[26]

Writing in The New Yorker, novelist Teju Cole called it an "artful and luminous film" and "a search for how best to live." Comparing it to Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood for Love, Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation, and Mati Diop’s Atlantics, he concludes: "It is a testament to Chuko Esiri’s compact and intelligent script that the film moves by its own persuasive logic, feeling neither like a catalogue of miseries nor a sentimental exercise in third-world pluck."[27]

It was listed as one of the best African films of 2022.[28]

The film maintains a "Fresh" score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an average score of 7.9, after 22 reviews by critics.[29]

Awards and nominations

The film received few awards and nominations at film festivals. It won the Achille Valdata Award at the 2020 Torino International Film Festival.[30]

YearAwardCategoryResult
2020Berlin International Film FestivalBest First Feature
Indie Lisboa International Film FestivalGrand Prize City of Lisbon
Torino Film FestivalPrize of the City of Torino
Valladolid International Film FestivalBest Feature Film
BerlinaleBest First Film
2021BlackStar Film FestivalBest Feature Narrative
Africa Movie Academy AwardsBest Film
Best Director
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Achievement in Editing
Best Nigerian Film
Best Sound
Best First Feature Film by a Director

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EYIMOFE. 2021-01-15. EYIMOFE. en-US.
  2. Web site: 2020-10-06. Eyimofe 'This Is My Desire' (2020) BFI LFF Review - A Triumph of Nigerian Cinema The Film Magazine. 2021-01-15. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Kiang. Jessica. 2020-03-01. 'This Is My Desire': Film Review. 2021-01-15. Variety. en-US.
  4. Web site: 2020-10-21. Eyimofe (This is My Desire) Review. 2021-01-15. www.hollywoodreporter.com. en.
  5. Web site: 2020-10-07. Trailer for Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) out ahead of UK premiere. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108033848/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/trailer-for-eyimofe-this-is-my-desire-out-ahead-of-uk-premiere/. dead.
  6. Web site: 2020-10-24. The Esiri Brothers Take 'Eyimofe' Abroad. 2021-01-15. THISDAYLIVE. en-US.
  7. Web site: Grater. Tom. 2020-10-07. 'Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)': Debut Trailer For Nigerian Drama Screening At LFF. 2021-01-15. Deadline. en-US.
  8. Web site: 2020-01-22. 'Eyimofe': 3 interesting things to know about the Nigerian movie selected for the Berlin film festival. 2021-01-15. Pulse Nigeria. en-US.
  9. Web site: 2020-10-10. Eyimofe to premiere in UK as part of the activities to celebrate Nigeria at 60. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108090510/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/eyimofe-to-premiere-in-uk-as-part-of-the-activities-to-celebrate-nigeria-at-60/. dead.
  10. Web site: 2020-11-11. Eyimofe selected for film festivals in Greece, Poland. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108012949/https://editor.guardian.ng/art/eyimofe-selected-for-film-festivals-in-greece-poland/. dead.
  11. Web site: 2020-10-16. Nigerian Film, Eyimofe To Screen In Austria, Netherlands, Spain. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 6 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211106231558/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/nigerian-film-eyimofe-to-screen-in-austria-netherlands-spain/. dead.
  12. Web site: 2020-03-04. Eyimofe: A desire to migrate on screen at the Berlin film festival. 2021-01-15. InfoMigrants. en.
  13. Web site: 2020-01-23. Nigerian feature, Eyimofe to show at 70th Berlin International Film Festival. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US.
  14. Web site: 2020-01-21. Nigerian Feature Selected at 70th Berlin International Film Festival. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US.
  15. Web site: 2020-09-26. Eyimofe to screen at 2020 vancouver film festival today. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 6 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211106225029/https://editor.guardian.ng/news/eyimofe-to-screen-at-2020-vancouver-film-festival-today/. dead.
  16. Web site: Eyimofe (This is My Desire). https://web.archive.org/web/20201216010424/https://www.bfi.org.uk/london-film-festival/screenings/eyimofe-this-my-desire. dead. 16 December 2020. 2021-01-15. BFI. en.
  17. Web site: 2020-10-15. Eyimofe to screen at Brazil's Mostra Film Festival. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 6 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211106225027/https://editor.guardian.ng/news/eyimofe-to-screen-at-brazils-mostra-film-festival/. dead.
  18. Web site: 2020-10-20. 'Eyimofe' (This Is My Desire) set to screen in 3 European countries. 2021-01-15. Pulse Nigeria. en-US.
  19. Web site: 2020-10-25. Eyimofe to screen at Sharjah Film platform festival in UAE. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US.
  20. Web site: 2020-12-09. Eyimofe Selected For Cairo International Film Festival. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108033901/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/eyimofe-selected-for-cairo-international-film-festival/. dead.
  21. Web site: Eyimofe selected for 2020 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 2021-01-15. guardian.ng. 26 October 2020.
  22. Web site: 2020-11-21. Eyimofe selected for 2020 Torino Film Festival. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 6 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211106231602/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/eyimofe-selected-for-2020-torino-film-festival/. dead.
  23. Web site: 2020-11-26. Eyimofe selected for Hainan International Film Festival in China. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108090558/https://editor.guardian.ng/news/eyimofe-selected-for-hainan-international-film-festival-in-china/. dead.
  24. Web site: 2021-01-15. Eyimofe Selected For International Film Festival Of India. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108093514/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/film/eyimofe-selected-for-international-film-festival-of-india/. dead.
  25. Web site: 2021-08-11. Eyimofe wins Best Feature Narrative at BlackStar Film Festival. 2021-10-06. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 5 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211205162732/https://editor.guardian.ng/news/eyimofe-wins-best-feature-narrative-at-blackstar-film-festival-2/. dead.
  26. Web site: Kenny . Glenn . Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) . RogerEbert.com . November 20, 2021.
  27. Web site: Cole . Teju . The Good People of "Eyimofe" . The New Yorker . November 20, 2021.
  28. Web site: 2021-12-09. The best African films of 2021 African Arguments. 2022-01-01. en-GB.
  29. Web site: EYIMOFE (THIS IS MY DESIRE) . Rotten Tomatoes . November 20, 2021.
  30. Web site: 2020-12-01. Eyimofe wins Torino Film Festival's Achille Valdata award. 2021-01-15. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US. 8 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211108091328/https://editor.guardian.ng/news/eyimofe-wins-torino-film-festivals-achille-valdata-award/. dead.

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