Kunle Afolayan seals production deal with Cape Verde for ‘Citation’

Kunle Afolayan, a Nigerian actor and film producer, has sealed a production deal with Cape Verde for ‘Citation’, his forthcoming movie poised to explore the prevalence of sexual harassment in higher institutions.

The 45-year-old movie director has also sealed a production deal with Senegal ahead of a proposed January 2020 shoot and as part of his bid to forge a stronger collaboration with African countries using films — a move which has seen him and his crew meet up with top government officials in both countries.

“Apart from its thematic premise, ‘Citation’ will also serve to market Cape Verde to Nigerians and the rest of the world while also establishing a film and cultural affinity between the two countries,” he was quoted to have said in one of the meetings.

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The good times are here for us at Golden Effects pictures and KAP ptoduction, and our director Kunle Afolayan, as things continue to look up for us. After six (6) of his movies was acquired and release on the Netflix platform, including his most recent film, Mokalik which had earlier represented Nigeria at the Durban International Film Festival in July, Mokalik has also been officially selected at Carthage Film Festival in Tunisia this week on the official invitation from the organisers. Deputised Golden effects pictures crew members and associates, have spent the last 8 days in Dakar, the Senegalese capital and the exotic Goree Island as well as in Praia, Cape Verde, scouting for suitable locations, for our next and most anticipated movie titled "The Citation". A story Written by the comany long-standing writer, Tunde Babalola; The Citation treats the volatile subject of lecturer-student sexual exploitation. It will be shot in Nigeria, Senegal and Cape Verde, similar to Afolayan's 2016 multi-location flick, The CEO. We have been able to locked down some of the best production hands in Senegal, with Alexander Rideau chosen as Line Producer, together with Dakar-based Keewu Productions. Also in Cape Verde, Samira Vera-Cruz, the Cape Verdian Line producer; was able to assist our team in sealing a deal towards the production of The Citation; with the Cape Verde's Culture and Creative Industries Minister, Abrao Vicente, who led the government team that included the Director General of Arts and Creative Industries, Adilson Lima Gomes and the Coordinator of Cultural Goods and Music, Luhena Cornera. It was a fruitful meeting that altogether with the Nigerian envoy to Senegal, Ambassador Salisu Umaru, who led other senior officials like the Minister at the embassy, Mr. A.K Zanng and Senior Counsellor, Mr. Adamu Akinola, in welcoming The Citation team to Senegal and introducing them to the creative and corporate communities. The lead female role will be played by a prominent Nigerian who will be making her debut in acting. Cast list kept under wraps for now. Ire @goldeneffectspictures @kaptelevision @eriqebouaney @gabbylucciii @samsnandi @jtofashion

A post shared by Kunle Afolayan (@kunleafo) on Oct 24, 2019 at 12:55am PDT

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Abrãao Vicente, Cape Verde’s culture and creative industries minister, led a government team that included Adilson Lima Gomes, the director-general of arts and creative industries, and Luhena Correia, the coordinator of cultural goods and music, in negotiating the deal.

Alexander Rideau, a Senegalese professional, has also been chosen as the line producer for ‘Citation’ alongside Dakar-based Keewu Productions and Samira Vera-Cruz, a film director and producer in Cape Verde.

In the wake of the meetings with Nigerian, Senegalese and Cape Verdian associates, Afolayan also struck deals as regards the choice of locations — having gotten the support of corporate entities and the Nigerian embassy in the countries to usher in the movie crew.

Afolayan’s movie, which is to be shot primarily in Nigeria and comes on the heels of his much-acclaimed ‘Mokaliki’, would feature scenes spanning the three countries.

“I don’t think it is a coincidence that the BBC News, BBC Africa is just talking about a subject matter we have been working on as a film project for almost 2years, ‘CITATION’,” Afolayan had written, while commenting on the context within which the movie comes.

“It’s a University drama surrounding a female postgraduate student who has to find a way of dealing with the awkward situation of sexual harassment from a popular male lecturer.”