Thunderous ovation greeted the screen of Lancelot Imasuen’s historical movie, “Invasion 1897′ as an opening film act the just concluded Abuja International Film Festival.
*Lancelot
The film, last month premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, Canada, and also screened inside the Bristish Museum, ealy this month.
Meanwhile, after seeing the film at the festival, veteran dirctor, Zeb Ejiro acknowledged Lancelot’s creativity, saying “We call him Lancelot, the Guvno, and after seeing this film, I must conclude that he he’s truly the Guvnor.
Set in the ancient Benin Kingdom, the movie portrays how the British invaded the kingdom, deposed its ruler, Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, and looted the palace, carting away religious sculptures as artefacts.
The movie was commended by the audience at the screening for trying to tell the “African story” from an African Perspective.
Lancelot said, Invasion 1897 was premiered in Toronto, Canada. It was also shown at the British Museum, Britain in August, at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, US and in Brasilia, Brazil during the FIFA 2014 World Cup.
The founder of the film festival, Fidelis Duker, noted that this was the first time an indigenous movie would open the festival and this special premiere was done to mark Nigeria’s centenary.
The movie starred first-time screen actor, Michael Omoregbee, in a critically acclaimed turn as Oba Ovonramwen. The actor has already been earmarked for the Best Performance by an Actor award by the festival’s jury. The movie was also nominated for Best Feature Film (Nigeria).
A special guest at the screening was the Senate majority leader, Ndoma Egba, who declared the festival open. Other guests at the event were Hollywood film makers, Zeb Ejiro and Charles Novia; actors, Emeka Ossai and Fred Amata, as well as some cast members from the movie; and comedians, Julius Agwu, Gbenga Adeyinka and MC Miracles.
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