 Considering Nigeria’s “Nollywood” film industry is the 2nd most productive in the world (behind India, ahead of the U.S.), it’s surprising that the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70) has never received a proper film treatment. Adapted from the award-winning novel of the same name by wunderkind author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (b. 1977), Half of a Yellow Sun features vivid production design but doesn’t quite succeed in exploring the Biafran War’s causes, effects, and legacy. It’s unfair to expect director Biyi Bandele to achieve the same richness and depth of character as the novel, but too often the film falls victim to problems unrelated to the narrative (a maudlin musical score, for starters). British-Nigerian actor Chiwetel Ejiofor—whose parents were refugees of the war—and British-Zimbabwean actress Thandie Newton deliver the A-list performances we’ve come to expect of them, but the film takes too long to find its rhythm and assumes an understanding of Nigerian political history and ethnic identity that most audiences will lack, despite the attempts at catching us up through newsreel footage and animated maps. It’s a promising offering from Nollywood but likely not the film that will be held up as the best the Nigerian film industry has to offer (e.g., 2013’s Mother of George). Nonetheless, Half of a Yellow Sun tells an urgently relevant and widely unknown story that offers exactly the kind of new cultural insights moviegoers seek through the lens of international film. |  MSPIFF Monday, April 14, 7:30pm Friday, April 18, 4:45pm Director: Biyi Bandele Producer: Andrea Calderwood Writers: Biyi Bandele, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (novel) Cinematographer: John de Borman Editor: Chris Gill Music: Ben Onono, Paul Thomson Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Joseph Mawle, John Boyega, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Rob David, O.C. Ukeje, Babou Ceesay, Genevieve Nnaji Runtime: 111m. Genre: Drama Countries: Nigeria/UK Premiere: September 8, 2013 – Toronto International Film Festival US Distributor: Monterey Media |
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