Nigeria Makes Official Submission for the 2021 Oscars with ‘The Milkmaid’
The Milkmaid, a Hausa language-based movie by Desmond Ovbiagele has been announced as Nigeria’s official submission for the 93rd Oscars in the Best International Feature Film (IFF) category. The Milkmaid is an interesting Nigerian story that explores a globally relevant theme of insurgency.
The selection was announced by the Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) for the IFF category on the 1st of December 2020. NOSC disclosed that they received several entries, out of which only six films – Oloture by Mo Abudu, Sanitation Day, Voiceless, Ibi, The Milkmaid and Eyimofe passed the first screening stage. However, The Milkmaid was adjudged the best. The film was vetted by the 12-man selection committee, who carefully adhered to the laid down procedures of the academy. It was voted for by seven of nine eligible NOSC members as three were considered ineligible due to their affiliation with some of the films.
The film tells the story of a Fulani milkmaid who confronts extremists in a rural African community. It was shot in Taraba State, Northeastern Nigeria. The movie features several popular northern actors like Maryam Booth, Ibrahim Jammal, Anthonieta Kalunta, Gambo Usman Kona and more. The movie employed dialogues in Hausa language, Fulfude and Arabic.
The Milkmaid was written, produced, and directed by the talented Desmond Ovbiagele. Other brilliant features include the New Jersey-based surgeon, Oluseun Sowemimo who was Executive Producer, Yinka Edward, Cinematographer, Chuka Ejor, Editor and Hakeem Onilogbo for special effects. The Milkmaid was screened in cinemas across Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabwe.
Read Also: Academy Approves the Nigerian Pidgin English as a Foreign Language for the Oscars
Last year’s official submission, Lionheart by Genevieve Nnaji was said to not have met the non-English dialogue criteria, which led to the diverse opinions on the stance of the Nigerian pidgin.
However, on the 17th of October 2020, Chineze Anyaene, the Chair of NOSC announced the approval of Nigerian Pidgin as a non-English (foreign language) recording dialogue in films by the Oscars. Based on the standard of the academy, a proposed feature film must be predominantly (50%) non-English track. The 93rd edition of the Oscars is scheduled to hold on the 25th of April, 2021.