Netflix has acquired rights to the production and distribution of Swallow, a Nigerian movie set to be directed by Kunle Afolayan.
This is part of a three-film ideal between Afolayan and the online movie streaming platform. Under the deal, the moviemaker, who directed Nollywood blockbusters like The Figurine, Phone Swap and The CEO, is scheduled to direct three movies, one of which would be a folklore fantasy film.
Afolayan confirmed the deal in a post on his Instagram account, where he said: “Big news guys! We’ve got not one, not two but THREE Netflix original feature films in different stages of production, coming to Netflix. Una sabi say Naija no dey carry last abi?”
Swallow is a screen adaptation of a novel of the same name, published in 2010 by Nigerian writer Sefi Atta. The movie, which is already in its latter stages of production, will feature Nigerian singer Eniola “Niyola” Akinbo in the lead role, as well as actors like Deyemi Okanlawon, Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, Mercy Aigbe, Frank Donga and Eniola Badmus, among others. The screenplay for the film was co-written by Afolayan and Atta.
“Kunle and I wrote the screenplay and we had a most enjoyable experience. I am thankful to him for the opportunity to earn my first screenwriting credit“, said Atta, reacting to the announcement on her Facebook page.
Swallow, set in 1980s Lagos, is the story of Tolani Ajao, a bank secretary who is persuaded by her roommate Rose to make a living through drug trafficking. However, Tolani faces a crisis of conscience, and as she questions her own morality in a repressive military regime, she finds herself flung into a journey of self-discovery.
Sefi Atta, the author whose novel is being adapted into a movie, is a Nigerian author, playwright and screenwriter. Her books have been translated into multiple languages, and her plays have aired on BBC radio. Her novels include: Everything Good Will Come , Swallow, A Bit of Difference and The Bead Collector. She is the winner of the 2006 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, and the 2009 Noma Award for Publishing in Africa.
In a phone conversation with Netng on what the Netflix deal means for him and for Nollywood, Afolayan said: “It’s a right step in the right direction. This is not just about making content that will stand the test of time, it is about putting out content that people will see. There have been a few movie adaptations of books, but they have only been seen locally“.
On working with Sefi Atta, Afolayan says: “Sefi Atta is a brilliant writer, and she is not as celebrated by people as she should. There are so many original works that I am exploring, with a view to maintaining and preserving the aesthetics of Literature.”
This is hardly the first movie adaptation of a Nigerian novel. In 2014, Biyi Bandele’s screen adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun premiered in cinemas, and the novel Americanah (also written by Adichie) has been optioned by the HBO network. This time, however, Swallow will be released as a Netflix original, and it would also be one feature film adaptation of a Nigerian novel that has a purely Nigerian cast: Half of a Yellow Sun featured a number of foreign actors, and Hollywood actress Lupita Nyong’o is set to star in Americanah.
Some other Nigerian books have also made it to the small screen. Arese Ugwu’s Smart Money Woman was adapted into a TV series by M-Net Africa Magic, and Little Black Book, a novel published by Nigerian writer Sally Kenneth Dadzie, is currently running as a web series on the YouTube channel of online community The Naked Convos. The future looks good for Nigerian authors who wish to have their work translated into film.
When asked about the release date for Swallow, Afolayan replied, “Swallow has been filmed and is currently in the post-production stage. I can’t say for sure what month it will be released, I’m sure Netflix will make an announcement to that effect, but I’m positive that it will be released before the end of the year.”
