Tunde Kelani, a veteran filmmaker, has released the exciting teaser for Sidi Ilujinle, a screen adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel (1959). Tunde Kelani is the founder of Mainframe Films, a production company credited for movies like The Campus Queen, Narrow Path, and Arugba to name a few.
The Saworoide director is popular for his success in previous adaptations such as Thunder Bolt (from Adebayo Faleti’s ‘The Whore’), Dazzling Mirage (from Olayinka Egbokhare’s novel), and Akinwumi Ishola’s Oleku. He’s also spoken of turning Cyprian Ekwensi’s ‘The Passport of Mallam Ilia’ into a movie.
Sidi Ilujinle is a fusion of comedy, poetry and prose rendered in Yoruba language. The script was translated by Kehinde Olojede (Provost of the College of Education, Akoka) and shot on location in Ibadan. The film tells of how Baroka, the village chieftain, fights with Lakunle, the educated school teacher, over the right to marry Sidi, the most beautiful girl in Ilujinle.
Sidi Ilujinle stars Adebayo Salami (as Baroka), Ibrahim Chatta (as Lakunle), Aishat Onitiri (as Sidi), Richard Tanksley (Husbands of Lagos), and Lanre Hassan. The film will be in cinemas this December and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
