Phyllis (2011)
Phyllis is a moving and atmospheric portrait of a ‘psychic’ vampire, a woman obsessed with synthetic Nollywood dramas, that lives alone in Lagos, Nigeria. The central idea of this short experimental film is the practise and significance of wig-wearing in Nollywood film; a practise the director has invested with deeper psychological as well as science-fiction layers. Underpinning this central idea however is a critique of the unforgiving treatment of single women in Nollywood and Nigeria. The film is an example of what the director, Zina Saro-Wiwa, has termed “alt-Nollywood”, a genre that plays with and reworks certain narrative, stylistic and visual conventions of Nollywood. Phyllis explores the gothic possibilities of the Nollywood aesthetic creating a new kind of low-budget atmospheric film that is very much of Nollywood and yet subverts the genre. Using Nollywood to subvert Nollywood.
Cast
- Olushola Adeyinka - Phyllis
- Gboyega Babajide - Man on Staircase
- Opeyemi Fajemirokun - Victim
Screenplay
Keywords
vampire, nigerian cinema, woman director
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Phyllis about?
- Phyllis is a moving and atmospheric portrait of a ‘psychic’ vampire, a woman obsessed with synthetic Nollywood dramas, that lives alone in Lagos, Nigeria. The central idea of this short experimental film is the practise and significance of wig-wearing in Nollywood film; a practise the director has invested with deeper psychological as well as science-fiction layers. Underpinning this central idea however is a critique of the unforgiving treatment of single women in Nollywood and Nigeria. The film is an example of what the director, Zina Saro-Wiwa, has termed “alt-Nollywood”, a genre that plays with and reworks certain narrative, stylistic and visual conventions of Nollywood. Phyllis explores the gothic possibilities of the Nollywood aesthetic creating a new kind of low-budget atmospheric film that is very much of Nollywood and yet subverts the genre. Using Nollywood to subvert Nollywood.
- Who directed Phyllis?
- Phyllis was directed by Zina Saro-Wiwa.
- Who stars in Phyllis?
- Phyllis stars Olushola Adeyinka, Gboyega Babajide, Opeyemi Fajemirokun.
- How long is Phyllis?
- Phyllis has a runtime of 16m (16 minutes).
- What genre is Phyllis?
- Phyllis is a Fantasy, Drama film.
- Where was Phyllis produced?
- Phyllis was produced in Nigeria, United Kingdom.