E29 • Shoot First, Ask Questions Later • AFOLABI OLALEKAN, dir. of ‘Freedom Way’ at the Toronto Int. Film Festival

Past Present Feature with Marcus Mizelle

In this episode, Afolabi Olalekan discusses the vibrant Nigerian film industry, dubbed Nollywood, and his latest film, Freedom Way, which premiered at the Toronto Int. Film Festival. His past inspirations include Cary Fukunaga’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’ and ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’, directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Afolabi shares the challenges he and his crew faced during production, such as police corruption and the need to swap out his lead actors halfway through filming. He also stresses the importance of using storytelling to create social change, highlighting the power of cinema to address societal issues.

Afolabi reflects on his journey as a filmmaker, and the personal growth experienced through his creative process. He also talks about his future projects and the significance of film festivals like TIFF.

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Chapter

1. E29 • Shoot First, Ask Questions Later • AFOLABI OLALEKAN, dir. of ‘Freedom Way’ at the Toronto Int. Film Festival (00:00:00)

2. Past Present Feature, Hosted by Marcus Mizelle (00:00:01)

3. Introducing Filmmaker Afolabi Olalekan, dir. of 'Freedom Way' at TIFF (00:00:19)

4. 'Freedom Way' - A Deep Dive into the Film (00:03:40)

5. The Creative Process: From Script to Screen (00:06:40)

6. Challenges in Filmmaking: Reshooting and Refinement (00:09:31)

7. The Power of Storytelling: Creating Change through Film (00:12:21)

8. Post-Production Insights: Editing and Sound Design (00:15:13)

9. The Journey to TIFF: Festival Acceptance and Impact (00:18:27)

10. Personal Reflections: The Filmmaker's Journey (00:21:11)

11. Future Projects: What's Next (00:24:29)

12. 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' + 'Beasts of No Nation' (00:27:08)

13. Filmmaker Advice + Why Make Films (00:30:50)