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EYIMOFE (THIS IS MY DESIRE) New Auteurs

Description

USA Premiere

Following the film, AFI FEST Senior Programmer Claudia Puig leads a conversation between filmmakers Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri.

Stories of dreamers seeking a better life are a cinematic staple. Yet this Nigerian immigration drama tells the engaging tale of two families in Lagos in a particularly inventive and strikingly compassionate fashion. Hard-working electrical engineer Mofe yearns to go to Spain while 20-something hairstylist Rosa strives to move to Italy. Charming and multi-layered, this richly humanistic saga evokes a vivid sense of place and presents a moving exploration of personal tragedies and triumphs. Fate consistently intervenes, as do bureaucratic entanglements and dodgy financial deals. Told with empathy by first-time filmmakers Chuko and Arie Esiri, this subdued narrative reflects the rhythms of daily life as it weaves a vital portrait of ordinary people struggling to rise above the daily grind in a vibrant African city. –Claudia Puig

Bios

Chuko Esiri was born in Warri, Nigeria, in 1985. He completed a Law LLB Honours at Newcastle University in England. He then studied screenwriting and directing in the graduate film program of the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, earning a Master of Fine Arts in 2017. Esiri also works as a producer.

Arie Esiri was born in Warri and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He got his start in film as a freelance cameraman before moving into directing and producing fashion videos. He has an MFA from Columbia University, New York and EYIMOFE is his first feature.