“A Rose for Freddy,” a film that depicts youths entangled in culture shock, intrigues, betrayal and true friendship will debut across cinemas next month.
The almost two-hour film was produced by Chike Nwoffiah, a member of Hollywood Film Institute and the founding Executive Director of Silicon Valley African Film Festival.
He said on Sunday in Lagos that the motive behind the film was to recreate a new awareness for the youths on the realities of life.
He said that movie lovers would experience something new from the feature film after its debut on the screens of Nigerian cinemas from Aug. 10.
“When the much anticipated feature film “A Rose for Freddy” debuts in cinemas across Nigeria, movie lovers will be treated to a breath of fresh air.
” This movie which has great care in all the facets of its production will thrill its audience, as it will showcase so many talented actors and crew with sophisticated styles in filmmaking,” he said.
Nwoffiah, a graduate of Columbia University, who also directed the film, said that it was written by Michael Osuji, while the photography was directed by Ifeanyi Iloduba.
He said that the film set in present day Lagos featured six university graduates who were also upwardly mobile friends with an unpredictable terrain of love, life and work.
“After four years of graduate studies in the USA, Freddy, one of them, returned to Nigeria with brilliant entrepreneurial ideas and hopes for a magical future with his fiancée.
“But his bright ideas encountered the realities of a broken system and his relationship with his fiancée, Rose,
was disrupted by another of his friend who betrayed him.
“Freddy and his fiancée established an IT outfit but he was frustrated by challenges he faced from running the outfit.
“Freddy had to opt out of the business due to the challenges he was facing to the extent that he was forced to seek an employment opportunity from Tunde, one of his friends.
“Tunde framed up Freddy by accusing him of being involved in drugs.
“Tunde, however, escaped to Osa’s house, another friend of theirs and took advantage of Rose panic, and under drug influence raped her.
“However, Freddy through Osa discovered that he was framed up as being involved in drug trafficking by Tunde.
“Tunde was eventually arrested by the law enforcement agents where he confessed his hate for Freddy because Rose chose him as her lover.”
Nwoffiah said that the film should be watched by every young man and woman because of the exposition and interplay of intrigues, betrayals, jealousy and true friendship.
“You can not trust anybody nor imagine what is in anybody’s mind.
“Little will you know what your innocent actions can do to your friends; either hate, envy, jealousy, love or friendship,” he said
The producer, a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, is also the president of Rhesus Media: a Nigeria, USA and South Africa television production company.
Nwoffiah is also a past president of Mountain View Community Television (KMVT Channel 15).
Nwoffiah said that the film was produced by Rhesus Media Group in association with the Bank of Industry (BoI) Limited.
He said that this was the first film he would be producing in the country after he left for the USA in not less than 25 years ago.
The producer also reflected on why he had decided to return home to produce this film.
He said, “I may have moved to California, but my heart always lives in Nigeria.
“I am happy to be back home to craft a film that meets global best standards.
“A Rose for Freddy” was filmed at several locations in Lagos: from beautiful hotel settings to the Lagos skyline, waterfront in Lekki, Victoria Island, lavish office buildings and boardrooms,” he said.
Nwoffiah, a graduate of Columbia University, said that the film starred actors such as: Osas Ighodaro-Ajibade, Kiki Omeili, Gregory Ojefua, Udoka Oyeka, Kocabelle Guemini, Lucianne Ukpabi and Freddie George.
Also, the star actor in the film, Freddie George, who resides in Atlanta, said that Nwoffiah was a director, a teacher and a mentor who knew how to bring out the best in an actor.
George noted that Nwoffiah’s experience as the president of Rhesus Media, a Nigeria, USA and South Africa-based full service film and television production company was reflected in the film.
He added that the film producer is currently an Arts Advisory Commissioner of San Diego International Airport.
“He is also on the boards of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, African Diaspora Network and
Families Without Borders,” said George.
He said that in 2014, Nwoffiah served as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consultant for the Houston Endowment Fund.
George said that the producer was also listed as one of the “Top 10 Most Influential African Americans” in the San Francisco Bay Area, California by CityFlight Magazine in 2000.
He was a contributing author to the acclaimed book “Black Cultural Traffic – Crossroads in Global Performance and Popular Culture” edited by Stanford University Professors Harry Elam, Jr. and Kennel Jackson.
The accomplished actor and director with over 50 stage and screen credits, is a member of the Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG), worked with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Djimon Hounsou.
In 1998, Nwoffiah won the International Cinema Industry Competition (Cindy) gold award and the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame award for his children’s film of African folk stories – Ago!
Amee!
George listed other film projects by the actor to include: A Jewel in History – a feature length documentary on the history of black hospitals in America.
Nwoffiah is a leader and respected voice in the California arts community and has testified several times before the California State legislature in support of funding for the arts, he said.
In 2004, 2005 and 2008, he served on a Fund-For-Folk Culture strategy panelist on the development of support systems for Immigrant and Refugee Arts in the United States.
George added, “He has been an adjunct professor at Menlo College in Atherton, California, a guest lecturer at University of California Los Angeles Urban Policy Institute.
“His 2006 documentary,” A Killing in Choctaw on a 1962-race killing in Choctaw County, Alabama,was profiled by the New York Times and premiered in Europe.
“This was at the 20th Black International Cinema Festival in Berlin, Germany where it won the 2007 Award for Best Film on Black Experience,” he said. (NAN)
