Segun Atanda/
The Man Died, the riveting film adaptation of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka’s prison memoir, continues its triumphant global run with screenings in Latin America and North America.
The feature film is making its Costa Rican debut today, Wednesday, April 23, as part of the Costa Rica African & Diaspora Film Festival, running through May 18.
Organized by the Foundation for Art and Culture for Development, the festival shines a spotlight on Afro-descendant narratives in the heart of Limon and the capital, San Jose. In her invitation to the film’s producer, veteran filmmaker Femi Odugbemi, festival director Dr. Carol Patricia Britton Gonzalez praised The Man Died for its role in amplifying underrepresented Black voices.
“Your work significantly contributes to our goal of amplifying Afro-descendant narratives often absent from theatres and cultural spaces,” she said.
Hot on the heels of its Costa Rican outing, The Man Died will be showcased at the prestigious 32nd New York African Film Festival on Tuesday, May 13, at the Film at Lincoln Center, one of three venues hosting the festival from May 7 to 29.
Directed by Nigerian-American scholar and filmmaker Awam Amkpa, and written by Bode Asiyanbi, the film explores Soyinka’s harrowing 27-month solitary confinement during Nigeria’s Civil War. Incarcerated for seeking a peaceful resolution to the Biafra conflict, Soyinka finds solace and sanity in the power of the written word — a narrative brilliantly brought to life by Wale Ojo in the lead role.
The star-studded cast includes screen veterans Sam Dede, Norbert Young, Francis Onwochei, and international talents Christiana Oshunniyi and Abraham Awam-Amkpa.
Still unreleased to the public, The Man Died premiered in Lagos in July 2024 in celebration of Soyinka’s 90th birthday and has since enjoyed a successful tour of festivals and academic institutions across London, Accra, Johannesburg, Atlanta, and beyond. In March, it earned multiple nominations — including Best African Film — at the Jo’Burg Film Festival.
Next stops on its global journey include screenings at the African Theatre Association’s conference in Germany, and engagements at prestigious institutions like NYU, Harvard, Oxford, and the House of World Cultures in Berlin. Global streaming platforms are currently reviewing it for broader distribution.
Produced by Zuri24 Media, the film stands as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative force of art. With its momentum building and audience base expanding, The Man Died is well on its way to becoming a cinematic landmark in the global African diaspora narrative.
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