Tunde Kelani’s Dazzling Mirage to debut in New Zealand.

‘Dazzling Mirage', a novel by Olayinka Egbokhare with screen play adaptation by Ade Solanke, is Tunde Kelani's latest work which bears the same title. It tells the story of an ambitious, beautiful young sickle-cell sufferer who overcomes social stigma, prejudice and her own low self-esteem, to achieve success, marriage and motherhood.

Set to premiere in Lagos, Nigeria on Friday, November 7, 2014 at the Muson Centre, 'Dazzling Mirage' which stars Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju, Kunle Afolayan, Taiwo Ajayi Lycett, Seun Akindele,Yomi Fash Lanso, Carol King and Bimbo Manuel, makes its international debut at the inaugural Nollywood Film Festival which is taking place in New Zealand.

Come Thursday, 16th and Sunday, 19^th October, 2014 at 6.15pm New Zealand time, the emotional drama will premiere at the Rialto and Paramount Cinemas, New Zealand to an expectant Nigerian community. It will continue showing on the 17th and 18th at the Rialto cinema. Prior to these screenings, The Nigerian High Commission already hosted a community reception to launch the Nollywood Film Festival and premiered 'Dazzling Mirage' at the Paramount Cinemas in Wellington on 9th October in Auckland.

According to Adebimpe Adebambo the costumier of the production, she stated that “I encourage Nigerians, New Zealanders, film buffs and critics, their family and friends, to watch this captivating drama of love, betrayal, social injustice and triumph. The cast, crew and director gave it their best shot and as the costumier, I gave it my best as well. I believe viewers would not be disappointed at all as it is also highly informative about the Sickle Cell Disorder, in addition to its entertainment value”.

Producer and Director of the movie, Tunde Kelani said ‘all of us are connected directly or indirectly to the sufferers of this ailment. I’m intrigued by the writer’s approach to weave a love story with it and that to me is an attraction. I have also had personal relationship with sufferers of this ailment and I consider it my responsibility to bring their story to fore.’’

The Nollywood Film Festival is envisioned as an annual festival that screens the best of Nigerian movies in New Zealand and Australia. As part of the festival, there will be academic forums at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) and Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

The forum hosts are: the Film Studies programme at VUW; and African Communities Forum Inc. as well as West Indian & Caribbean Society at AUT. The theme of the forum is “Nigerian Movies in the Diaspora: Sociocultural, Political and Economic Issues”. The keynote speaker is the Nigerian High Commissioner, Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni. The panelists are: Professor Jonathan Haynes (Long Island University, U.S.A), Dr. Onookome Okome (University of Alberta, Canada), Dr. Kole Ade Odutola (University of Florida, U.S.A), Tunde Kelani (Director of Dazzling Mirage and Maami), and Chris Dada (Director of Lagos Stories).

  Culled from Scoop Independent News.