Ema Edosio’s well-traveled debut Kasala! is now on Netflix. The comedy has played in several film festivals home and abroad and is one of several amazing Nollywood films to have gone unnoticed because of the industry’s distribution challenges.
Initially rejected by cinemas, this criminally underseen movie was finally accepted in December 2018. Unfortunately, the showtimes were unfair and higher budget blockbusters overshadowed it. This is the first time the film will be available to viewers worldwide.
Kasala!, set in a Lagos slum, follows Tunji, a fast-talking teenager, and his friends Chikodi, Abraham, and Effiong as they go on a joyride around their neighborhood in his uncle’s car.
Kasala bursts when they crash the car and must fix it within five hours before Tunji’s strict uncle gets back from work. To raise the money for the car repair, they resort to avenues known to each one of them.
The film is led by the talented quartet of Chimezie Imo, Emeka Nwagbaraocha, Tomiwa Tegbe, and Mike Afolarin, who deliver a rapturous performance praised by most critics.
Writing for Africa is a Country, Fareeda Abdulkareem says they are “a good ensemble”. YNaija’s Wilfred Okichie says: “Kasala’s biggest triumph has to be the casting of the central foursome. The chemistry that oozes out of their gathering is pure gold; and Edosio is ever-present, capturing moments that feel so real and true to life.”
Other critics praised Kasala! for embracing Lagos’ dirt and roughness while presenting it in a non-exploitative manner. “It is a realistic and gritty film, one that does not shy away from the grime and the stench,” Toni Kan wrote for The Cable.
“The ghetto is up-front and centre in all its tainted glory. But far from being an exploitative film which milks the deprivation of the poor for quick gains; the film actually has a heart and a soul”, he continued. “It is a love song to Lagos and the denizens of the ghettos that dot the city.”
Kasala! is shot and directed by Edosio from a screenplay by Temi Sodipo. The film stars Judith Audu, Gabriel Afolayan, Jide Kosoko, Sambasa Nzeribe, and Kassim Abiodun. Kasala! started playing on Netflix from January 31, 2020. The film is a fulfillment of Edosio’s long term dream of shooting films that tell of the authentic lives of Nigerians. Kasala has done well internationally and in the festival, circuits winning loads of awards across the world.
