The Figurine, Contending For Multiple Awards

Last week, the producer and director of the multiple award winning Irapada Kunle Afolayan was at Hotel 1960, off Toyin Street, Ikeja where he screened his latest movie, The Figurine, for 40 minutes. The suspense filled thriller, sponsored by M2/Hotel 1960, left the audience asking for more. Nze Eunice reports.

Kunle Afolayan, son of late theatre icon Ade Love, understands the fact that being the son of anybody does not take you anywhere if you are not capable. This explains his enrolment in the New York Film Academy after featuring in movies like Saworoide which was directed by Kelani. Before then, he studied Business Administration in Lagos State Polytechnic.
He eventually ventured into film shooting and his first movie was the award winning Irapada. The movie was shot and produced to world class standards. Irapada enjoyed the kind of publicity that no Nigerian movie has ever enjoyed. The movie was screened all over the world but at home, it was screened privately for a number of multinational companies including Virgin Nigeria and Nigerian Portland Cement.
Since its release last October, The Figurine has gathered acclaim, setting box office records worldwide. The movie has premiered in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Accra and at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, London.
According to Kunle, Figurine is a story he had worked on for four years now; even before Irapada was shot. “For me, Irapada” was an experiment and we thank God it was well received at home and abroad but now The Figurine is a better story and it’s a much bigger, better movie in terms of picture, budget, storyline, and everything. Going further, he made it known that despite the difficulty in getting financial assistance for the film, he brought dynamism into it by collaborating with corporate organisations like the German Embassy, Lufthansa, Unilever, GSK, Omatek, and individuals to realise his goals.
The movie was shot with 35mm digital HD camera using 35mm adaptors and film prime, a lens which gives the same feel and same look of celluloid. The Figurine he confesses cost a fortune -millions – but will definitely pay because it is not going to be released on DVD/VCD until it has gone through the cinemas all around the world.
He describes The Figurine as a multi-cultural and contemporary feature highlighting the essence and efficacy of tradition, friendship, betrayal and love. It transcends both the ancient and modern day.
The Figurine (Araromire) is a story of two friends and a lady, all down on their luck, who had having their lives changed when one of them discovers Araromire a mysterious figurine in an abandoned shrine which, according to legend, bestows seven years of good luck. But no one told them about the next seven years. Stars in the movie include Ramsey Nouah, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Tosin Sido, Omoni Oboli and Muraina Oyelami.
So far, The Figurine has premiered in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Accra, London and at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.
The movie has also been selected to premiere at the New York African Film Festival in April, the Tarifa Film Festival, Spain, in May and more. The movie already has 10 nominations at the African Movie Academy Awards, including best director, best picture, cinematography, sound track, art direction, visual effects, child actor, best film from Nigeria, lead actor and best supporting actor.
Kunle says he is in the movie business to stay. His words; “we will take movie (Nigerian movies) to the level of competing with other world class movie industries like Hollywood and Bollywood. Although people are pessimistic that I might lose focus and divert due to financial constraints, I will not quit. We will always look for means of raising funds for the movies.”