Kunle Afolayan has got a potpourri of events lined up for his latest movie, Mokalik (Mechanic), starting with the release of its trailers and posters on February 1, 2019.
The much anticipated movie by the celebrated Nigerian filmmaker, stars award-winning singer, Simi, alongside other prominent actors like Femi Adebayo, Charles Okocha, Faithia Williams, Lateef Oladimeji, and comic actors like Wale Akorede (Okunu), Ayo Ogunshina (Papa Lolo) and Dayo Akinpelu (Alabi Yellow).
The prolific director is optimistic that Mokalik will traverse commercial and artistic ends, having been provoked by the expectations of his diverse audience and fan-base across the world.
According to him, the deal with Netflix will include other works directed by him, including The Figurine- Araromire, Irapada, Phone Swap, October 1, The CEO, The Bridge and the yet to be released ‘Tenants of the House’.
“We are excited about having our other films, including Mokalik on Netflix, as that will assuage our fans who have been sending messages from all over the world, complaining of not having access to our films,” he said.
He also plans to get ‘Mokalik’ listed in the official selection for this year’s Cannes Film Festival, among other major film festivals around the world. And as Cannes makes a debut with Pavillon Afriques at the Marche du Film, Cannes Film Festival 2019, a common arena for African film industry this May, Afolayan, on Thursday, was named Ambassador of the pavilion, and will be joining the showcase by other filmmakers from the continent by curating a Kunle Afolayan/Golden Effects Pictures retrospect.
A letter sent to the filmmaker reveals that Afolayan, having been listed as Ambassador on Pavillon Afriques – VIP page, is expected to wear a special ambassador’s tag during the event and function as a panelist on content sourcing, distribution and storytelling sessions among other roles.
Happy about the feats attained by the filmmaker, Commercial Director of Air France/KLM, Mr. Remco Bohre said: “Our partnership with Kunle Afolayan is another way of showing how excited we are, at Air France and KLM, about Nollywood and the Nigerian entertainment industry at large.”
For Mokalik, which was shot on EOS C300 Mark II, with Canon Cine lenses, the filmmaker says: “We are very delighted and grateful for the camera support extended to us by Canon Central and North Africa team here in Nigeria,” adding that, “EOS C300 Mark II – Stunning 4K quality and versatility allowed me as a producer to experience the creative vision in stunning cinematic details and provides footages, suitable for extensive post-production work.”
Senior Sales & Marketing Manager – B2C, Canon Central & North Africa, Mr. Amine Djouahra, expressed delight over the partnership, saying: “We are very proud to be part of this esteemed mainstream commercial and artistic movie, Mokalik, produced in Nigeria, one of the largest growing film industries in the world, and at Canon, we continue to listen to our customers when developing the product range to ensure our innovations meet their needs, enabling storytellers for creative filmmaking.”
As part of the slating for Mokalik, Afolayan, an Air France partner plans to have the film on several platforms including the French premium television channel, Canal+, which he said has showed interest in Mokalik and Odu (Capsule of Tales), a TV series in the works.
Mokalik follows the career of an 11-year-old boy, Jaiye, from the middle-class suburbs who spends the day as a lowly apprentice at a mechanic workshop in order to view life from the other side of the tracks.
When his father arrives to take him home, Jaiye has to make up his mind if he wants to return to school or take on his apprenticeship full time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v10o-qMBDEE&feature=youtu.be