Relentless- The face of Nigerian Arthouse

Shadow and Act reviews Andy Okoroafor's Relentless:

Relentless Teaser
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Taking a very European and somewhat retrospective approach, tropes that are familiar to many Nollywood productions – prostitution, corruption, ritual slaughter… get the nouvelle vague treatment. The narrative is far from being dialogue heavy and, with regard to performances, it must be said that Gideon Okeke as the quiet, introspective loner, Obi, gives a perfectly sublimely restrained and understated performance. And for her first film performance, Nigerian songstress, Nneka (Nneka Egbuna) doesn’t do a bad turn as the prostitute, Honey, although her performance isn’t quite as nuanced as it could be. But while, the acting is somewhat uneven, the melodrama prevalent in your average Nollywood film is practically non-existent. In fact, existentialism and introspection are key themes that run throughout the film, and long, quiet takes are interspersed with rapid, short cuts symbolic of the underlying chaos of both Lagos city and the lead character’s inner turmoil. And in a country where continuous electricity supply isn’t a given, that the filmmaker committed to using natural light is no mean feat. No doubt, his use of 35mm film and an adept cinematographer is what gives the film in visual depth and texture...[continue reading]

 In an interview he gives his reasons for making the movie:

I wanted to make something that is aesthetic, a true reflection of Africa today and how we go about our normal everyday lives without any exaggeration or apology. A lot of what is out there doesn’t project the real Africa in my opinion. I also wanted to showcase how the history and politics of the place affect normal citizens going about their every day lives.

Read the entire Catch a Vibe Interview here