“The film follows Azeezah Sama, a young actress at the peak of her career but when her abusive partner interrupts a high-profile interview, she must put on her greatest performance yet.” – From The Delectable Azeezah Sama
For women’s month, Document Women spoke to Tochi Onwubiko, director; Orobosa Ikponmwen, co-director; and Fisayo Ojabodu, the writer and co-producer of “The Delectable Azeezah Sama”, a film exploring abuse and domestic violence. The film tackles the question, “How much should a person have to endure to pander to the role society has cut out for them?”
The film follows protagonist Azeezah Sama, a young actress at the peak of her career as she endures abuse from her boyfriend and producer, Jinmi Ahmed. The plot surrounds a high-profile interview that is interrupted by Azeezah’s abusive partner. She is then forced to put on her greatest performance yet.
“While there might be underlining benefits to this mindset, this culture has fostered and protected abusers in the Nigerian (and African) community for far too long. It’s time to address it.”
The Delectable Azeezah Sama aims not only to touch light on abuse in relationships but also to highlight the dangers of keeping such abuse under wraps in fear of what people will say or think.
Document Women asked the women who worked on the film about their experiences in the course of production, the high and low points, and how they felt about working on a film with a subject matter all too familiar to many women around the world.
Gender-based violence is pervasive in Nigeria, like the rest of the world and is enabled and encouraged by a profoundly patriarchal society. According to the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS), 33 per cent of women aged 15-49 in Nigeria have experienced physical or sexual violence; 24 per cent have experienced only physical violence, 2 per cent have experienced only sexual violence, while 7 per cent have experienced both physical and sexual violence.
Tochi Onwubiko: Director
Tochi Onwubiko is a visual artist with a range of visual skills—illustration, graphic art, videography and photography.
“I’m just doing my best to make a living out of the things I’m passionate about. At the moment, I have the privilege of working as a visual content creator in a leading bank in Nigeria.”
What were your favourite and least favourite parts of the process?
My favourite part was directing. I’m always nervous before production, but always content in the end just being on set and coordinating things. It’s me doing what I love. My least favourite part was making the lead actor shove the lead actress’ head into a bathtub in multiple takes.
How did it feel working on a film with such a delicate and triggering dramatic issue?
It was empowering. At the risk of sounding insensitive, I want to say it made me feel powerful to attempt making a film like this. I’m very inspired by Fisayo’s (the writer’S) vision.
How was your experience working with the other members of the production
team?
Everyone was on their toes and that was really encouraging to see. We rallied whenever there was a problem, and every single person went beyond their roles on set. For that little time, we were all connected by the goal of making this film come to life. It was a special experience and I loved being in the thick of it, even when we were all at the peak of fatigue and frustration.
What is your favourite part of the film?
Right at the end, when Melody (Azeezah’s personal assistant who bears witness to many instances of Azeezah’s abuse) is watching Azeezah on TV. It’s not something she can run away from now; she has to face herself and the possibility that she’s partially responsible. It’s a real moment – a showdown with herself. I hope when people see her face and the pain etched on it, they understand the struggle inside of her and relate it to their own lives.
Orobosa Ikponmwen: Co-Director
Orobosa Ikponmwen describes herself as “a film director, writer and producer. Occasionally, an assistant director and a lover of food and happiness.”
What were your favourite and least favourite parts of the process?
My favourite part would be working with Tochi. She’s incredibly detailed with what the story needs, which I love because as a co-director it’s important to me that we tell one unifying story and not make it obvious that there were two directors on the project. My least favourite part of the process would be that it had to end. I enjoyed working with the team.
How did it feel working on a film with such a delicate and triggering dramatic issue?
There are thousands, millions of women experiencing domestic violence at the hand of those who claim to love them. Some escape and some don’t. I knew that we aren’t just making this film for the sake of creating magic. It’s for the women going through it and the men perpetuating these wicked acts. Keeping this in mind helped me to look at the story and Azeezah with the love and empathy the story required.
How was your experience working with the other members of the production team?
Everything felt easy. The entire set oozed competence and creativity and love.
Watching this film you wouldn’t know that such a dark story was made with smiles and love. Everyone knew what needed to be done and did it. So kudos to the producers for putting the right people in the right room with the right story.
What is your favourite part of the film?
The script. Fisayo is such an amazing writer. I read the script the first time and I gave her a tight virtual hug and sprayed her imaginary money. With The Delectable Azeezah Sama, Fisayo wasn’t pretentious about the subject. She respected these characters and empathised with the women who actually go through what Azeezah went through.
Fisayo Ojabodu: Writer and Co-producer
Fisayo Ojabodu is a writer, filmmaker, cartoon animator, and “generally, a phenomenal babe.”
Her favourite part of the process was the actual production.
“As a writer, it feels very good to watch your characters come to life in real-time. Almost like I had children and I was watching them graduate – it was a very proud moment for me.”
Her least favourite part of the process was the latter half of the pre-production process.
“Not because it was hard or stressful or particularly difficult, but I am a first-time producer and that period was riddled with worry. Am I doing things right? Are we absolutely ready to shoot? worries like that. But thankfully, I had my amazing Co-Producer; Desmond Ekunwe, to keep me grounded through the process.”
How did it feel working on a film with such a delicate and triggering dramatic issue?
I felt somewhat mixed about it because, on one hand, I knew I had struck gold with the story, but on the other hand, I understood that the message of this film needed to be told; not as an accessory to push the film forward, or a prop placed there for placing sake, but as the core of the film itself.
How was your experience working with the other members of the production team?
Oh, it was great! It was certainly one of the things that made the production process so smooth. I was surrounded by superstars who knew exactly what they came on set to do, and how to achieve it. It was wonderful.
What is your favourite part of the film?
This might sound villainous but my favourite part(s) were the ones that made me uncomfortable because it told me that something was being said, and it was something worth listening to.
