🧀In our Cheesy conversations now is BOLA AKANBI (Director THORN)
Read The Interview Below 👇
1). At what point did you realize you wanted to become a filmmaker?
I have always been a lover of arts since I was a kid. I love telling stories. As a kid, I would gather my siblings at night and tell them stories. I also wrote novellas that never got published. I didn’t know what filmmaking was then. But in 2010, I decided to start a career in filmmaking.
2). What do you think is the most fascinating part of your job?
The fact that I can entertain, inform and educate people through the stories I tell and also contribute towards the growth of the society fascinates me.
3). Let’s talk a bit about your recent film THORN, why that story?
Thorn is a painful reminder of our society’s refusal to confront the dangers of implosions suffered by mentally displaced persons. It is also an advocacy against domestic violence. I observed that we don’t really explore the subject beyond physical abuse which is the one everyone talks about or knows. But what about the other effects such as; PTSD, cycle of violence and much more. I explored the part that is not commonly addressed, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
4). What was the biggest challenge in making this film?
Getting a perfect location and filming during raining season was a big challenge. The rain interrupted our shoot at some point. We encountered some technical challenges too.
5). What do you hope to achieve with this film?
I want to keep creating awareness and sensitizing people on mental health, especially PTSD, and the effect of Domestic Violence on children. There isn’t enough awareness on mental health in general. I hope to draw individual and health organizations’ attention on the need to create means through which people can get help.
6). What has been the biggest lesson you have learnt from filmmaking?
Filmmaking is a collaborative effort. There is no such thing as ‘I’ only ‘We’.
7). What is your greatest achievement till date?
You never really know if you’ve made a film until you test it with an audience. I an really fulfilled getting all the reactions I hoped for when making THORN. The short film premiered at Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) to a resounding success. That’s a great achievement for me.
8). Can you tell us about your upcoming project(s)?
I am working on another short film and a feature film. They are also based on social issues.
9). What film has inspired you most?
SEVEN by David Fincher, SHUTTER ISLAND by Martin Scorsese, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS by Jonathan Demme.
I’m a lover of psychological thrillers. I love dark and sad stories.
10). If you get the opportunity to remake a classic, which one would you go for?
TI OLUWA NI ILE by Tunde Kelani.
11). Which particular filmmaker(s) has inspired you?
Tunde Kelani, Kunle Afolayan, Izu Ojukwu, Funke Akindele, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg.
12). Which book would you love to make a film out of one day?
DEATH AND THE KING’S HORSEMAN by Wole Soyinka.
13). Do you have any advice for young filmmakers like yourself?
Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. Keep your dreams alive.