69 – The Movie: Yoruba Nollywood making great strides in the UK

It is no wonder that the Yoruba Nollywood film 69 – The Movie, was very cagey about giving away the plot of the film. Viva Naija took great pleasure in publicising the event because we firmly believe in beating our own drum. But if we were honest, we would say we had no idea what the film was about!

I watched the trailer on Ben TV a few days before the premiere and I thought “E jo. Plix. What is the film about true true? Ees eet a 69 of a something? Or is 69 just a number that comes after 68?

Toyin with Ola Akanni, a co-executive producer who also doubled up as a fraudulent iyalawo!

Anyway, I decided that a trial would confuse me ? so I got dressed and made my way over to the Tottenham Town Hall in North London. The film was to be screened in a gorgeous hall called the Moselle Hall at the Dream Centre. Listen, just the room alone set the scene!

Now, you may be screening in a hall or a cinema, but what is this life if you have to watch movies without popcorn? And so it was that there was some sweet smelling corn popping at the entrance of the hall, and soon the lights were dimmed for the production!

69 – The Movie

What happens when a wife loses her way? How is it that a Proverbs 31 woman starts to have affairs? How does a wife material, complete six yards o…be demand sexual positions from her husband that she never has before?! Who is to blame when every man seems like a potential sexual conquest to her? Including her in-laws??

Is it a spirishua sometin? Is she experiencing a late blooming? Or could it just be that Stella wants to get her groove back?

I am sure I am not giving much away by stating that there is indeed jazz involved and three days of prayer and fasting came into the equation at some point. This is a Yoruba film, after all. But a well thought-out film, I must say.

69 – The Skill Behind the Performance

What I found most scintillating about this film was not the beautiful venue it premiered in or the controversial movie title. I truly loved the dedication of the small team. It would be great to have a limitless budget and no end of CGI and trickery at your disposal. But this team showed that they could still do a great production without all the wizardry. All you need is a tight story line and a team who are committed to success.

And that’s exactly what Toyin Moore, the director and producer of the film had to work with. The cast and crew could not have been more than thirty but they brought out a production that could have been the work of a hundred-man-strong team.

Rykardo Agbor was suitably pitiful as the scorned husband. This man walked out of a barber’s salon because he was encouraged to try the 69. Uncle, you never jasi! Better change positions so that your future wee be bright!
Toyin Moore was the wayward wife. She nearly cause some men to consider proposing to her right there and then!
Doyin Amodu was perfect as the aunt trying to bring her niece back on the straight and narrow.
Oladapo Opayinka was Rykardo’s best friend and general mess clearer-upper. Perfectly played.
Stella Maris was Toyin Moore’s best friend who had to try and get her friend to stop looking for 69 upandan while dealing with her own infertility issues.

Stella Maris – the formidable long-suffering best friend to Toyin Moore!

Simply had to place two photographs of this gentleman. The trousers were bae!

The crew – the wind beneath the wings

A whole bunch of people can’t just get on set and start jumping around. Crew, back-of-house skill, and funding is everything in the film business. In 69 – The Movie, we saw this in action! Everybody, and I mean everybody, pulled their weight.

Three executive producers – Toyin Moore, Kunbi Okwong and Ola Akanni donated their money, time and resources to making the film a success. And two out of the three of them acted IN the film. Ola Akanni played her role of a funky 419 native doctor to a tee!

A good associate producer is worth their weight in gold, and Lydia Olet is easily double that! She came through and eased the oils of productions so that the whole thing worked like a finely tuned machine!

Sunkanmi Oduwole out his blood, sweat and tears into the film as the Director of Photography. This was evident as I have seen too many UK Nollywood films that look like they were acted on someone’s mobile phone.

All in all, a fantastic cast and crew, a wonderful performance with many laugh out loud moments. They should all be immensely proud of themselves! And I do believe they were as the jubilant dancing at the end showed!

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY AFRICAN DAZZLE MAGAZINE