In the Music hits cinema with budding stars

TAYO OLANIPEKUN

Arrangements have been finalised to have the film, ‘In the Music’, hit the cinemas on March 26.

It is a film based on the captivating story of two sisters, Ihuoma and Nnenna (real names Keira Hewatch and Chelsea Eze, respectively), who lose their mother to a debilitating disease and thereafter go through rough patches. Their bereaved father, having found solace in binge drinking, the siblings embark on a musical journey, instead, as they grapple with the stark reality of surviving in the big city, and are separated from their dad’s mishap.

“The film is plotted on mix of emotions: some deep, some colourful some darker,” says the director of the about N30 million movie, Cibuzor Afurobi, an engineer who also likened his foray into the film industry to missing his way.

“As an engineer, I’m not supposed to be here. I lost my way I should say, because I was meant to do video games and animation,” says the soft spoken chubby director in a well rounded accent.

And with confidence, he emphasises that the cast and crew are made up of entirely new faces. The musical sensation, Omawumi  Mgbele, starring in her first full length  movie, as well as one-time Mr. Nigeria, Bryan Okwara, feature as Madame and Chris respectively, the director says, however, that  known faces were not flattered with lead roles in the production.

But going by the title of the film, ‘In the Music’, Afurubi says it is not generally about Omawumi or her song. “As for musical film, Nigerians like music. I also like music, a lot. With music, you’ll be able to communicate with a lot of people with different backgrounds.”

The film also has about 14 sound tracks. “They are beautiful pieces of songs in themselves.”

Other casts in this movie include Tomi Odunsi (Jumoke), popularly known as Shalewa in the popular Nigerian TV series, Tinsel and the Uk-born Beverly Nanya (Jessica), winner of Most Promising Talent (2010) of Best Nollywood Award and Fast Rising Actress at the 2011 City People Entertainment Awards.

The movie is the maiden effort of the Nigerian based media production company, Rising Phoenix Entertainment Limited, described by the UK-trained Assistant Director, Lindsey Efejuku, as a very small unit. “The producer started it all and we all joined. We do movies and event managements,” she said at a press conference in Lekki, Lagos, over the weekend.

Come March 26, efforts are geared towards a simultaneous viewing of the blockbuster in the cinemas across the major cities in the country as a deliberate way of checkmating the menace of the bootleggers. It will also parade an array of budding stars and there is certainly not going to be a stellar eclipse.