Netflix orders shows by African women
Streaming giant Netflix has unveiled a number of new drama series and a movie directed and produced by African women filmmakers.
The move was part of an International Women’s Day event called Her Voice, Our Story organised by the SVOD service in partnership with EbonyLife CEO Mo Abudu to spotlight female creators and their contribution to the film and TV industries.
The projects to debut on the platform include the series Òlòtūré: The Journey, produced Abudu. It follows a young journalist working undercover as a sex worker in Nigeria to expose corruption as she fights to reach Europe. The cast includes Sharon Ooja, Omoni Oboli, Beverly Osu, Ikechukwu Onunaku and Daniel Etim Effiong.
The series Baby Farm, also produced by Abudu, tells the story of a young woman who unknowingly entrusts her unborn twins to a high-profile NGO, only to discover she’s become a prisoner of a sinister Baby Farm. The show stars Rita Dominic, Joseph Benjamin, Onyinye Odokoro, Genoveva Umeh, Langley Kirkwood and Jenny Stead.
Also in the works is the series Postcards, directed and produced by Namaste Wahala’s Hamisha Daryani Ahuja. It follows four conflicted Nigerians in India who find identity and acceptance as they face their fears and desires through a journey of love and self-discovery. The cast includes Sola Sobowale, Tobi Bakre, Rajniesh Duggall, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Rahama Sadau and Nancy Isime.
To Kill a Monkey, meanwhile, is directed and produced by Kemi Adetiba and centres on a struggling everyman whose life takes a dramatic turn after he reconnects with an old friend. Pressured by circumstances, he delves into cybercrime, forcing him to compromise his principles. It stars Bucci Franklin, William Benson, Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, Micheal Ejoor, Chidi Mokeme, Lilian Afegbai and Sunshine Roseman.
The film is Bolanle Austen-Peters’ House of Ga’a, set in the 18th-century Oyo Empire. It is based on true events surrounding Bashorun Ga’a, a formidable prime minister who rose to power behind the kings he enthroned. The cast includes Femi Branch, Mike Afolarin, Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Ibrahim Chatta, Dele Odule, Bimbo Manuel, Lateef Adedimeji, Femi Adebayo and Gabriel Afolayan.
In addition, reality TV series Young Famous & African is set to return for its third season later this year, while the girls of Parkhurst High School return for S4 of Blood & Water.
“At Netflix, we want our stories to reflect as many lives as we can. This is why we are not just passionate about the stories we tell, but the people who tell them and the people we tell them for,” said Dorothy Ghettuba, Netflix’s director of content in sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are happy to work with the female powerhouse in the creative industry and bring to life the awesome projects that reflect their stories and promote our culture.”