While still enjoying remarkable exploits with his current film, ‘Mokalik’, award-winning filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan is about to launch another big one called ‘The Citation’. The movie, which is currently in pre-production, has sealed a production deal in Cape Verde and Senegal ahead of a proposed January 2020 shoot.
In a viral video, showing location recce for ‘The Citation’, Afolayan, in company with his crew members and associates, met with top government officials in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, as well as in Cape Verde. The filmmaker disclosed that he had sealed a partnership deal with the government of Cape Verde towards the production of The Citation.
According to him, ‘The Citation’ apart from it’s thematic premise, will also serve to market Cape Verde to Nigerians and the rest of the world while also establishing film and cultural affinity between the two countries. Cape Verde’s Culture and Creative Industries Minister, Abrãao Vicente, led the government team that included the Director General of Arts and Creative Industries, Adilson Lima Gomes and the Coordinator of Cultural Goods and Music, Luhena Correia, in negotiating the deal.
It is Afolayan’s believe that the collaboration will enhance a good relationship between Cape Verde and the Nigerian film industry. In Senegal, the filmmaker also secured a deal on choice locations, just as he got support from corporate entities and the Nigerian embassy in that country, having met with Nigerian envoy to Senegal, Ambassador Salisu Umaru, who led other senior officials like the Minister at the embassy, Mr. A.K Zanng and Senior Counsellor, Mr.
Adamu Akinola, in welcoming ‘The Citation’ team On some of the cast and crew, the filmmaker revealed that, so far, Senegalese Alexander Rideau had been chosen as Line Producer, together with Dakar-based Keewu Productions and Samira Vera-Cruz of Cape Verde. He said the cast of the movie, which will launch another female Nigerian into the movie industry, will be revealed soon.
Written by Tunde Babalola, ‘The Citation’ which will be shot in Nigeria, Senegal and Cape Verde, is centered on sexual exploitation of students by University teachers.