18th November, 2023
By Victoria Oluwayemi
The film “Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti,” by acclaimed filmmaker Bolanle Austen-Peters, clinched two awards at the 12th Africa International Film Festival.
The film Festival celebrates excellence in African and global cinema across various genres with its AFRIFF Globe Awards
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti written by Tunde Babalola and directed by Austen-Peters, secured recognition for ‘Best Overall Feature Film’ and ‘Best Screenplay.’
The movie tells the life journey of the mother of the late afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, tracing her life story from being the first female student at Abeokuta Grammar School, Ogun State, to her marriage to Israel Ransome-Kuti.
Together, they bravely confronted oppression and established the Abeokuta Women’s Union, sparking a fierce struggle against colonial and traditional rulers. Throughout, the film showcases her unwavering activism even as she also played the roles of a wife and a mother in her family.
Highlighted as part of the Nigeria’s Official Selection Committee for the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences consideration for the Oscars, the movie boasts a stellar cast including Joke Silva, Kehinde Bankole, Ibrahim Suleiman, Jide Kosoko, Dele Odule, Adebayo Salami, and Keppy Ekpenyong.