At a news briefing earlier this week at the Joint Officers Mess in Kotu, Mr Onyeka Okechukwu said: “These are the first epic films done in The Gambia and Africans from different countries took part in it. They are about a king, a prince and marital disagreement. When the prince tries to marry an orphan girl, the king refuses the marriage because the king wanted to hand over the throne to the prince.
“The movies are special because they have never been done here before and it is a challenge for actors in The Gambia. After finishing the film you realise that what Nigerians can do, Gambians actors can also do. The message in the films are simple, don’t be greedy and let us avoid tribalism in marriage. The film is colorful and is all about tradition.”
Onyeke has directed at least a dozen films in The Gambia and Nigeria with his God Gift Film Production.
The new films feature actors and actresses from The Gambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone and were shot on location around the Greater Banjul Area. The films consist of eight parts, each lasting 55 minutes.
The director who is also known as ‘Don Bobo’,described “the passion of Gambian actors as a motivating factor” for shooting the films in The Gambia.
Awa Sey, an actress, who acted the role of queen in the films called for support in the Gambian film industry, noting that Gambians have talent and potentials that needed to unleashed.
Wilfred Adams, program coordinator at the Film Producers Association of The Gambia (FPAG) also called on the private and public sectors to support homegrown actors and actresses.
Isaac Kanu, actor said: “The Film industry in The Gambia has come to stay.”
By Sainey Marenah
]]>
