This special limited edition slipcover is limited to 1,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Dekanalog is a film and soundtrack distribution company dedicated to the release of the most unique filmmaking voices and musical scores from around the world. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing this diverse and unique home video line!
In the oceanside village of Iyi, the revered Mama Efe (Rita Edochie) acts as an intermediary between the people and the all-powerful water deity Mami Wata. But when a young boy is lost to a virus, Efe’s devoted daughter Zinwe (Uzoamaka Aniunoh) and skeptical protégé Prisca (Evelyne Ily Juhen) warn Efe about unrest among the villagers. With the sudden arrival of a mysterious rebel deserter named Jasper (Emeka Amakeze), a conflict erupts, leading to a violent clash of ideologies and a crisis of faith for the people of Iyi.
C.J. “Fiery” Obasi’s potent modern fable deploys vivid monochromatic black-and-white cinematography, rich sound design, and a hypnotic score in a folk-futurist style both earthy and otherworldly. Obasi depicts a pitched battle between opportunistic militants promising technological progress and a matriarchal spiritual order living in fragile harmony with the ocean. Mami Wata transports us to a place that seems both suspended in time and perhaps running out of time, as the threats of modern life wash up on its shores.
Nigerian submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film 2024
Nominee, Best International Film, Film Independent Spirit Awards 2024
Nominee, Best International Feature, NAACP Image Awards 2024
Special Jury Award Winner for Cinematography, Sundance Film Festival 2023
directed by: C.J. 'Fiery' Obasi
starring: Rita Edochie, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Evelyne Ily Juhen, Emeka Amakeze
2023 / 107 min / 1.78:1 / West African Pidgin DTS-HD MA 5.1
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.8461537 / 5 from 26 reviews.
Review topics: ["looks","buy","use","work","film","cinematography","movie","performances","photography","exception","interviews","tale","commentary","gem","restoration","scenes","extras"].
"The movie is visually stunning, I’ve not seen a movie use black and white to this effect. While I can’t speak for the accuracy of this film, I appreciated its ability to take me into a culture fairly unknown to me. All that said, the video and sound quality wasn’t at the level I would expect from a film released in 2023. Overall the film is beautiful and a worthwhile purchase."
"The photography throughout the scenes is amazing and the performances are very engaging and intense! This is a different kind of movie but one that I definitely enjoyed. The peerless VS restoration process was on full display with stellar sound and picture! Thank you, VS, for continuing to lovingly restore and release so many wonderful films from every conceivable genre! You are keeping physical media alive in this streaming world we now live in! Highly recommended!"
"Movie: Stunning visuals, including a few really haunting images. The black & white cinematography just looks so great throughout the film. I'd call this a fairly "sparse" film, which works pretty well to capture the folktale feeling it seems to be going for. The spell is broken somewhat by the presence of a motorbike that one character has; I felt a bit distracted wondering about where & how they get gas. Then later people are talking about wanting utilities (electricity, running water, etc. ), and I started to think about how you would need to go about connecting a village to those things, which further got me off the vibes of the movie. Overall though this was very good. The characters & plot do more than enough to carry the story, and there were multiple unexpected turns that I appreciated. This was an extremely unique film for me. Extras: Always nice to have the trailer. The making of featurette and scoring session were both fine. The deleted scenes were short but interesting, and "Defying Genre" gave some insight into the film. Book: Good statement by the director and an OK essay on Mami Wata the goddess. Packaging: So good! Bonus points for reversible cover."
"I was intrigued by the gorgeous black and white photography in the trailer and wanted to give it a shot when I found it on sale. I'm very glad I did. Really interesting film. I'm so glad we're getting more African cinema representation from these llabels."
"Very interesting offering! Glad to have it."
"But they better be afraid of the woman! "Mami Wata" is a slow burn. It took me a while, maybe the first 45 minutes, to really get into it. Even so, the absolutely gorgeous B&W photography held my attention, and once I settled into the mythic structure and pace of the narrative, I was hooked. Beautiful, beautiful film. The commentary and interview with director CJ "Fiery" Obasi are interesting and illuminating. Highly recommend."
"This film was the story of a family if women who are basically conduits to a water goddess named Mami Wata who watches over the village. The other villagers give them gifts so they will communicate with Mami Wata in exchange for protection and good things to happen to them. A group of non-believers and an outsider oppose them and take control. In the end good does triumph over evil, but there is a price to be paid. Fantastic black and white cinematography and an interesting story. Definitely worth watching if you like folk tales."
"PLEASE mode African movies! This was wonderful"
"This is a visually stunning movie. Quite interesting and different i enjoyed it."
"Caught this on streaming and was quite impressed. Definitely an underseen gem. Excited to check out the lush B&W photography on blu ray!"
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