South African movie ‘Baby Mamas’ Premieres in Lagos

‘Baby Mamas’, a new South African comedy-drama, was premiered at Filmhouse Cinemas, Twin Waters branch in Oniru, Lagos, on Sunday.

‘Baby Mamas’, the first South African film to premiere in Nigeria, was directed by Stephanie Zwane.

The movie takes a look at the daily lives of four young professional women, each in various phases of their own baby mama drama.

Although the different themes of the film are approached comically, each message conveyed is unfeigned, candid and thought-provoking.

As all four of them explore the many dynamics of being baby mamas, the audience is brought into the world of their witty charms and how they tackle the strained relationships with the men in their lives.

With an ensemble female cast of Salamina Mosese, Thembisa Mdoda, Dineo Ranaka, and Kay Smith, the film highlights sisterhood, female empowerment, friendship, family, pain, healing, and love.

Guests such as Vimbai Mutinhiri, Yetunde Williams, Bolanle Olukanni, Taymi B, Sasha P, and Paul Chisom all attended the screening.

The writers, Stephina Zwane and Salamina Mosese, both South African women, said they are passionate about changing the narrative.

Asked why she wrote the story, Ms. Zwane said, “Our generation is fortunate to have the privilege of being able to tell our story ourselves, so the first thing I’m going to do is always to tell the other side of our unique African story.”

She said of the film’s four female lead characters, “I’m tired of images that don’t celebrate me as an African, and instead shows me constantly lacking and struggling. This is not all that we are”.

Before the viewing commenced, the guests were addressed by the Marketing Executive of FilmOne Distribution and Production, Matilda Ogunleye.

She asserted that the film is very relevant to the Nigerian market as we all need to start telling and redefining our stories.

“The deep disapproval and condescension that is attached to being a baby mama, especially in the workplace, and especially in Africa, is something that needs to be tackled head-on in order to shift the narrative and start changing the warped mindsets and perceptions of society,” she noted.

During the viewing, there were diverse reactions from the audience. After the screening, the guests stayed behind for the round table discussion hosted by Tolu Bally, Azuka Ogujiuba, Titi Olatunji and Abimbola Craig.

During their discussions, they all advocated for a definite reform of current systems in place so that sex education becomes a lot more open and acceptable.

They also touched on the stigma attached to premarital pregnancy, single parenting and co-parenting.

‘Baby Mamas’ is currently showing in Filmhouse Cinemas nationwide.

See the trailer below