Movies on the Map: Mami Wata
C.J. Obasi's modern fable deploys vivid black-and-white cinematography to explore an upset of power in a West African village that worships the Mermaid-deity Mami Wata.
C.J. Obasi's modern fable deploys vivid black-and-white cinematography to explore an upset of power in a West African village that worships the Mermaid-deity Mami Wata.
This spellbinding vision of mysticism, modernity and matriarchy is told through striking monochromatic black-and-white cinematography, rich sound design and a hypnotic score in a folk-futurist style both earthy and otherworldly. Inspired by Nigerian folklore, the story concerns the coastal village of Iyi, in which the people are losing faith in their sea deity Mami Wata. When a rebel deserter arrives at the village, he is able to exploit the divisions amongst the people and elevate himself to power. The village must reassert the spiritual order to reclaim the awesome power of Mami Wata. This potent modern fable transports us to a place that seems both suspended in time and perhaps running out of time, as the threats of modern life wash up on its shores.
Nigerian submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, 2024
Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award: Cinematography, 2023
