From Awka to Lagos, Abigail Chukwu is Living Her Filmmaking Dreams
This month, the spotlight is on writer and film director Abigail Chukwu. Abigail, who has written, produced and directed short films like ‘Love Does Not Look Like This’ and ‘Stay’, which can be found on her YouTube Channel, Gail of Lagos, describes her journey into filmmaking as ‘bittersweet’ like an unripe orange. She further explains that it has not been particularly sweet for her, but the thrill and even her failures have made the journey utterly satisfying.
This bittersweet analogy of her journey so far made me curious about how she ventured into filmmaking in the first place. To this, Abigail responds — her voice rising slightly in excitement — that she “simply” wanted to be a screenwriter.
Although she started as a prose writer, she began to see stories in pictures rather than words. So, Abigail moved to Lagos from Awka in 2019 to pursue her dreams of writing for the screen. But one day, after sharing a story idea with a friend, who told her that if she wanted the story to come out the way she had it in her head, she had to become a film director.
That advice aligned with her dreams because not only did she want to write, but she also wanted to make her own films; this solidified her path as a writer and film director.
Generally, being an independent creative is not easy, and I assume it is the same for independent filmmakers. Abigail already mentioned that some of her failures are part of what makes her journey satisfying. I wanted to know more about this, particularly the challenges she has faced or is currently facing as a filmmaker.
Abigail answers that her biggest challenges are funding and finding the right people to work with, especially the technical team. She says most of them want to work on big projects that go to the cinema or streaming services like Netflix.
They do not take independent film directors seriously. She mentions that during the making of her last film, her BTS person and art director left in the middle of filming after giving her a mediocre excuse that they would not have given a “big” director.
Speaking of films that make it to the big screen, are those the films that Abigail makes? Abigail honestly responds that she is still finding her voice as a filmmaker, but currently, she makes films that address social issues. The last film she made is on LGBTQ+, and she has also made two films on emotional abuse.
She, however, states clearly that she is still exploring and will let us know when she has found her niche. Abigail also doesn’t think that her films are the kind of films people like to watch because they deal with real issues, and people want escapism.
She doesn’t blame them for this because of the situation in Nigeria. But this is why her films go to festivals; they are not made for commercial appeal.
Circling back to moving to Lagos in 2019, we can all admit that Lagos is rough. I was curious about how she balances living in Lagos, working and other aspects of life. Abigail hilariously tells me she doesn’t have a life outside of work. She’s either writing or on set.
So, there’s really nothing to balance. It sounds tough, but it’s true for most people who work in Lagos. Although, she goes further to mention that her favourite things to do apart from making films are reading books, watching movies, eating, lying in silence, daydreaming and doing nothing else.
Abigail loves reading books. She enjoys reading fiction and admits she hasn’t read any career-related books. Abigail also loves watching films, documentaries, and YouTube videos on filmmaking — she hopes to graduate to reading career-related books soon.
On what sparks her interest and inspires her films, she tells me that sometimes she listens to a new song and wants to make a film that feels like that song, and I find it very interesting and beautiful to be able to create something out of a feeling.
Abigail, who sees herself as an observer and a participant in the industry, will love to work with filmmakers/Directors like Wong Kar-wai, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese.
She will also love to work with Jade Osiberu, Kemi Adetiba, and Shonda Rhymes. She especially mentions Damilola Orimogunje and Babatunde Apalawo; according to her, these two directors make the kind of films she loves.
Curious about her current project, I asked her about it, and she shares some insight into her next film. She says it’s centred around a man in prison, and she wants to show, through this film, that it’s possible to love someone even after they have hurt you and done something terrible to you because sometimes your feelings can be stronger than your common sense. I’d definitely be looking forward to that one.
In the coming years, Abigail sees herself with three degrees, one master’s in film directing, a PhD in film business, and a master’s in film technology. The end game for Abigail in her fifties is to be a film teacher.
I thank Abigail for taking the time out of her busy schedule for this interview. And cheers to those big dreams. I am rooting for her all the way.
