Izu Ojukwu had always been a star in his own right. So it should come as no surprise that ’76 has received critical acclaim at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival- where Lagos is the focus of the 41st edition’s City to City program.
If you remember the Amstel Malta blockbusters Sitanda and White Waters, both of which Ojukwu directed, then you know the success of this new film was merely waiting to happen.
Thankfully, it happened on such an international scale like the one afforded by TIFF because otherwise, his stellar work would have been overshadowed by the amazing performances put up by the cast of the movie. Classic case of the Prophet in his hometown.
In a chat with Atoke, Ojukwu said a near death experience on his way to Yankari Game Reserve in 1999 changed his mindset towards soldiers, after he was rescued and housed, alongside his crew, to recuperate.
This left a great deal of impact in Ojukwu’s life, so much that the movie was based on the history, the humanity and the real lives of the men on the front line.
Luckily for him, the critics loved it.
“Each time we hear in the news 10 soldiers died. These are actually fathers, brothers and husbands. But you don’t feel it except you’re in the barracks.“
Bradley Warren‘s critique is even more uplifting. He considers ’76 the centre piece of TIFF’s City to City spotlight this year (that is, of all the 8 Nigerian movies screened).
He speaks highly, not only of the plot but also the picture itself. According to him, Ojukwu’s decision to shoot on film -as opposed to the usual digital formats used in Nollywood- immediately marks the movie as a Nollywood epic, beyond the budget and scale normally afforded in Nigeria’s film industry.
Even former President Olusegun Obasanjo appears enamoured by the film, which he has referred to as a mixture of sweet and sorrow.
During a private screening held for the former president at his Presidential library in Abeokuta, he commended the movie as an apt tribute to an important part of the Nigerian history.
Prolific film critic, Radheyhan Simonpillai, in her review said the movie is a slice of Nigerian history, admirable for how it boldly jams big performances, loud music and groovy retro styles into a political thriller.
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