Two Nigerian tech savants and their legal counsel are thrust into a labyrinth of state restriction, brutality and corruption in director Afolabi Olalekan’s debut feature “Freedom Way,” which heads to TIFF for its international premiere, screening as part of the fest’s Discovery line-up which highlights bold global cinema.
The film was chosen among Variety’s profiles of 16 buzzy international world premieres at this year’s Toronto.
“Choosing Afolabi as the director was an easy decision. I’d known him for over four years and witnessed his dedication to filmmaking through his short films. Additionally, I knew I wouldn’t be directing it myself, as I’d just launched my production company, Bluhouse Studios. One of our core visions is to nurture and develop other creatives — writers, producers, and directors,” writer-producer Blessing Uzzi told Variety.
“Partnering with Afolabi was the first step in fostering these peer-to-peer collaborations, and following ‘Freedom Way,’ I’ve continued to partner with other directors and writers to produce short films and other projects under Bluhouse Studios.”
“I’ve always been drawn towards narratives, even my music videos are mostly narrative in format. Reading the script, as a Nigerian primarily based in Nigeria, it was easy to relate with the experiences of some of the characters, so that definitely caught my attention. I believe the project is one we can all relate to in one form or another,” Olalekan added.
The film kicks off with the charisma and entrepreneurial spirit of its protagonists on full display, their hopes quickly dashed as they meet with heavily armed law enforcement officers tainted with resentment and bestowed near-impunishable power.
Their predicament sets them on course to collide with the film’s other stars as they traverse a nearly impossible path, highlighting the social hierarchy serving to gatekeep equitable chances at success from the ambitious residents of Lagos.
The narrative unfurls as Themba (Jesse Suntele) and Tayo (Mike Alfolarin) release their rideshare app, Easy Go-effortlessly pairing the region’s bustling motorbike drivers to paying customers. Doting father Abiola (Adebowale “Debo” Adedayo) is set to increase his profits using the duo’s app when the government swiftly passes a sweeping ban on the service, putting both drivers and developers at risk of the law’s merciless enforcement.
“In the film, we don’t just highlight police brutality; we also explore the government policies that enable such oppression and affect citizens. I believe that through storytelling, we can expose these harmful policies and, hopefully, push the government to reconsider the impact of these policies on human lives. It’s a gradual process, but one that begins with awareness and conversation,” they stated.
They added: “As filmmakers, our role is to keep telling these stories, no matter what. It’s part of our work to highlight the ills in society and create awareness. Understanding the problem is the first step towards finding a solution, and that’s what art does—it shines a light on these issues and their impacts, imitating life as it is. We can only hope that our work inspires change, even though change takes time. We have to keep speaking out across different mediums.”
A keen reverie, the project craftily threads its characters together –demonstrating the interconnected nature of humanity, where one action reverberates through the entire community, consequences trickling down until the story comes full circle. The film muses on just how easily any one of us could be the oppressed, could be the oppressor and nods to the amount of time it always takes to rectify the ills imparted by those at the top.
“I believe, to a large extent, our lives and experiences are somewhat similar, connected and intertwined regardless of social class, ethnicity and race, beliefs or religion. In the film, each of these characters, regardless of the path taken, are humans who just wanted to make the most out of life for themselves,” Olalekan relayed. “It’s my desire and hope that audiences see themselves in at least one character in the film –that was my intention from the beginning. I’m hoping that the film can push us to reflect on our actions as humans and we can begin to have open conversations on ways to move forward and make better decisions, as they affect every one of us.”
The project puts a regional spin on poignant global themes, adding to the growing cinematic focus on untamed injustice.
“‘Freedom Way’ has nuances that reflect the culture and specific circumstances of Nigeria. However, police brutality is a global issue — it transcends borders. Unlawful arrests, harassment, profiling, corruption and unwarranted violence by the police happen in many places around the world. This is why it’s crucial to keep telling these stories. The more we talk about these injustices, the more awareness we create, and hopefully, that leads to positive change,” Uzzi stated.
They concluded: “Film festivals play an important role in this by helping us reach a wider audience beyond Nigeria, and we’re very grateful for Toronto. I enjoy watching films from different cultures to see how they compare to mine and to learn about their unique experiences. There’s a sense of comfort in recognizing that some of the challenges we face are shared by others elsewhere in the world. It reminds us that we’re not alone.”