MOVIES
For all it is worth, the trailer for the action-comedy movie, Banana Island Ghost is what got everyone at the IMAX Cinema gawking last week for its state-of-the-art stunts and amazing cast. That much can be discerned from the snippet which the Biola Alabi production team released to the public for good proportion of anticipation.
Feel free to salivate when you read the list of cast- Bimbo Manuel, Chioma Omeruah, Patrick Diabuah, Uche Jombo, Saidi Balogun and more.
It’s a simple plot. A single lady prays to find a marriage partner before the bank takes over her family house and gets served- a ghost- she finds a ghost in her bed who has negotiated with God to give him three days to find his soul mate.
The twist to the simple storyline is that juxtaposition of the real and fantasy lives of two persons, leading to the conflict of the movie.
If that synopsis is not sufficient, then you will have to wait till August 4 when this movie will hit the cinemas. The producers are confident that this movie will be another box office success due to the technical details and quality of post-production work that it involves. Though the sound for the movie is undergoing fine-tuning, the audience was given the assurance that by the time the movie is screened for the public, audibility will be great.
For the lead actress, Omeruah, the movie production is by far her best experience so far. She was honoured with the presentation of cakes to make her birthday at the preview.
“I got on set and learnt how to fall and take punches. It brought out the best of myself and I had the best time on set,†she remarked.
Diabuah, who played the ghost had been a regular face on stage productions such as Saro and Wakaa the musical. His rich baritone voice reverberated through the surround sound system inside the cinema; bringing back the memory of his performances at the successful Nigerian musicals. His comic character in Banana Island Ghost makes his acting career well-rounded.
The veteran Yoruba actor, Saidi Balogun was commended for accepting to play a supporting role, which most of his contemporaries would have rejected. In his response, he expressed his satisfaction for being part of the cast of an industry defining movie as he clocks 50 years.
“I read the script and I loved it,†he said. “I was preparing for the pilgrimage to Mecca but I had to skip the journey to be at the location.’’
The producer, Biola Alabi believes that if Nigerian film makers don’t tell our story as a people, no one will tell it accurately. Hence, the production team relied on technical support for the stunts and special effects from talents from South Africa who also acted as trainers for their Nigerian counterparts.
“What we did was to bring in the trainers because it is an action film and we just had to make sure we had the right tool,’’ she revealed. “The biggest challenge for any movie producer here is on how to get the right investor and the talents but I think we can overcome those hurdles. There are film makers who are also investors in the movie. But we are very lucky to have very good private investors in our movie project. These are people who believe in the Nigerian creative industry and I want to make sure we celebrate such ones who invest in the work of young film makers.
“The movie was shot in various places in Lagos including Banana Island and Magodo. The story is what we are selling. You are an artist; you know we have the creative license to use the name.’’
Directed by Bibi Fasoye, the premiere for the movie Banana Island Ghost is set for July.
