Shining a light on ordinary people victimised by military

Nigeria’s first qualifying submission for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards will be premiering at the BFI Southbank in July, writes Connor McLaughlin.

The Milkmaid’s European premiere is part of the BFI African Odysseys programme, which is made up of inspirational films by and about the people of Africa.

The film, made by Nigerian people, is told through Hausa, Fulfulde and Arabic which make up three of the most widely spoken languages in the region.

Written and directed by Desmond Ovbiagele, The Milkmaid tells the story of two sisters, Aisha and Zainab, who are abducted from their village on Zainab’s wedding day in a deadly attack.

The traumatic encounter forever alters their path, destroying their relationships and forcing them to fight for their lives, their freedom, and their sanity.

Mr Ovbiagele said: “The religious extremist insurgency that has raged in northern Nigeria for almost a decade has reduced human lives in the consciousness of the general public to mere statistics, typically nameless and voiceless.

“Inspired by the two Fulani milkmaids depicted on the Nigerian 10 naira note, I felt a strong obligation as a film-maker to harness the considerable tools available within the medium of cinema to help give a voice to those, living or dead, who are not in a position to speak for themselves.”

The film stars Anthonieta Kalunta, Maryam Booth and Gambo Usman Kona.

It has already garnered critical acclaim, winning five Africa Movie Academy Awards for Best Film, Best Film in an African Language, Best Nigerian Film, Best Supporting Actress and Achievement in Make-Up.

The film combines stunning cinematography with a powerful script to shine a spotlight on the ordinary people victimised by extremist terrorists which transforms them from statistics into real, characters with lives, loves, desires, and hopes.

The film juxtaposes the visceral horror and harrowing ordeal faced by victims of conflict with the serene natural beauty of West Africa.

Mr Ovbiagele approaches the difficult topics sensitively, carefully considering how trauma and indoctrination creates perpetrators of violence as often as it creates victims.

BFI African Odysseys, now in its 15th year, programmes monthly events at BFI Southbank by and about the African diaspora and is a collaboration of a cross section of activists, cultural figures and community leaders who also run dedicated training and education programmes to support diverse filmmakers and develop a better understanding of Africa and African diaspora film culture.

The Milkmaid is on Saturday, July 10 at 2pm with tickets priced at £15 for adults.