Comatose explores the African perspective on euanasia

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Comatose explores the African perspective on euthanasia --

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 12:50

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1Take Media has begun production on Comatose, a dramatic Afro-futurism feature film set to be released in early 2017, which explores an African perspective on the euthanasia debate.

Comatose stars award winning actors Fabian Adeoye Lojede as Segun; French noir favourite Aissa Maiga as Nandi; Hollywoods Hakeem Kae Kazim as Dr. Kalu; South African veteran Mary Twala as Nana; Bimbo Akintola as Omowunmi; Robert Whitehead as Dr. Collins; and Deborah Lettner as Michelle.

Directed by South African director Mickey Madoda Dube, the production is set to begin in Durban, and then continue in Nigeria. The film is adapted from a play written by prolific Canadian-Nigerian writer, Jude Idada.

Comatose follows two siblings, Segun and Omowunmi as they battle over the life of their ailing mother Nana (Mary Twala) who is in a coma. One wants to pull the plug, the other wants to keep her alive. One resides in Lagos, Nigeria and the other in California, United States. In a battle of wills, dark family secrets come to light, relationships are shattered, and the true meaning of love is revealed.

The argument about whether to pull or not to pull the plug has raged on for decades globally, and Comatose teases out the African perspective on the growing modern day euthanasia debate.

Lojede, who co-wrote the script and is also co-producing with Dube, said: This is going to be the most challenging role I ve played. The film has so many layers: visual and narrative.

Director/co-producer Dube said: I want to make a film so rich and layered, yet moving and mysterious all at once, throbbing with the energy and talent at our disposal, tackling an issue that is universal, but spoken through our voice, our soul, while taking the world on this journey towards a humanity that speaks to us all as one in life, and in death, not in a limbo, a world neither here nor there. As one person who woke up from a coma stated: life is life, but death is merely a changing room.

1Take Media starts principal photography on 13 June 2016 until 20 July 2016 in Durban, South Africa. The production has been funded by the South African Department of Trade and Industry, the National Film and Video Foundation, and the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and 1Take Media.

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