Ogo Okpue’s first feature film, A Song From The Dark, has been released on streaming platform, Amazon Prime. Starring Nollywood’s Nse Ikpe Etim and Wale Ojo alongside gripping performances from British Ghanaian Vanessa Vanderpuye, Lola Wayne, Garcia Brown, Peace Oseyenum and Paul Coster, among others, the film was released on the platform on Friday, July 12.

Addressing the press virtually before the release, Okpue, who won the Best Director (First Feature Film) at Africa Movie Academy Awards 2022, as well as Best Director at the 2023 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) (world’s largest black film festival), explained that the film is a fantasy-horror, positioned to ingrain heroes and heroines of African traditional mysticism with similar audacity as western films have entrenched the Superman, Wonderwoman and Ironman.

Okpue, whose short films like Saving Cain and Cat Face have been recognised and screened at major film festivals around the world, says the film draws a lot of inspiration from the stories he heard as a child whenever he visited the village with his parents.

The filmmaker and multimedia creative designer said the inspiration of the story dates back to a certain period of his childhood when his family visited his grandmother in their village.

“She happened to be a well-respected traditionalist. Tales of her would intrigue us and as I grew older, I regretted not knowing her more. She was an enigma and I wondered what it would have been like if some of her tales were captured in books. The world of African mysticism has not been explored enough in world cinema. And most times it is vilified. America has Superman and Ironman; the United Kingdom has James Bond and Harry Potter. Japan and China have Flying Swordsmen and mystical Ninjas. India has Tonnes. What do we have? I think in Africa, our superheroes have slept long enough; African stories are as diverse and as entertaining as the continent itself, so I thought, ‘why not add more African heroes to the fictional world of cinema?’

A Song From The Dark is unlike any film seen in the black cinematic landscape. Some call it ‘Lovecraft country meets Buffy the vampire slayer but with a Nigerian spin’. With striking visuals, suspense filled scenes and engaging performances, A Song from the Dark is not your typical horror film. If anything, it embraces suspense and drama like the great horror classics; so there is something in the story for non-horror fans as well. At the heart of it, it is a family drama and a cautionary tale with poignant social commentary. It’s confident blend of drama and multilayered subtexts will leave viewers reaching for repeat viewing and days long post credit conversations,” he said.

In 2022, A Song From The Dark got AMAA nominations in categories such as: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Award for First Feature by a Director, Michael Anyiam Osigwe Award for Best Film by an African-born Director Living Abroad and Award for Best Achievement in Make-Up.

Okpue is a UK-based award winning multi-disciplinary designer and creative director, who currently splits his time producing film based contents and working for top media, government affiliated and leading corporate brands in the UK and USA, offering his expertise in branding, creative development and strategy, motion graphics, design/creative direction and 3D animation. His short films have been nominated and screened at various UK and International festivals and events such as London Independent Film Festival, British Urban Film Festival, Crystal Palace Intl Festival, Creative Arts Festival, African International Film Festival, Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and KUSH Film Exhibitions UK.

Okpue’s Adverto Studios, has a client list, which includes, SKY, BBC, A+E Networks (History, Lifetime, Crime Investigation), NBC Universal, ITV, BT Sports, Facebook, Coca Cola, Adobe, Citi Group and Prada. A Song from the Dark is his first feature film.

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