C.J Obasi has been ushered into a new phase in his career by the Gotham Group, a prominent Hollywood establishment, in its recent announcement of the official membership of the Nigerian filmmaker. Mami Wata, C.J. Obasi’ latest silver screen masterpiece will compete as Nigeria’s representative in the Best International Feature category during the forthcoming 96th Academy Awards.
Gaining recognition at Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema- Dramatic section, “Mami Wata” took home the best cinematography award. An award-winning filmmaker with an impressive catalogue such as “Ojuju” (2014) and “O-Town” (2015), for which he earned accolades from festivals like Gothenburg and Fantasia.
Hello Rain, a short film from C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi, premiered globally in 2018. It was shown at more than forty festivals and won various accolades. For example, it won a jury prize at Fantasia and was nominated for BFI Short Film Award. Such was the case with Juju Stories by the Surreal Collective, which in 2021 received the highly coveted Boccalino D’oro Award for Best Film at Locarno.
Mami Wata has received 12 nominations at the African Film Academy Awards, with nominations for Best Director and Best Film. Mami Wata has also won over audiences and gained international fame. North American rights for the film were acquired by Dekanalog, while Alief took on its international sales rights.
Mami Wata’s synopsis is set in a remote West African village where the inhabitants believe in Mami Wata — a revered Mermaid-deity, and their healer Mama Efe (Rita Edochie) along with her family members. This narrative progresses after a devastating loss which shakes the faith and unity of the community especially now that the uncanny Jasper (Emeka Amakeze) has been introduced to add another layer of intrigue and unrest
This recent signing by The Gotham Group is in line with their tradition of nurturing outstanding talents. They have been involved in a number of projects such as Netflix’s Wendell & Wild with Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and director Henry Selick that give an idea of the quality of projects they advocate for. CAA has already signed up Obasi making it yet another tick on The Gotham Group’s list of achievements as they continue to tell amazing stories to an ever-growing audience.
