The Milkmaid Movie:
Every once in a while there comes a movie that can help define an event, a time or a movement.
A movie can at times provide engagement and awareness to a real situation that would have not been otherwise possible. The milkmaid movie seeks to bring attention to the devastating effects of insurgency on humanity, especially women and particularly young girls. It will give insight to the issues that make insurgency and its aftermath deeply troubling and complex.
Inspired by the iconic image of the two Fulani milkmaids depicted on the back of the Nigerian Ten Naira note, the Milkmaid is a creative imagining of the fate of two peasant sisters caught up in the upheaval of militant insurgency in rural Northern Nigeria.
The story juxtaposes the colour and elegance of rural Hausa/Fulani culture against a graphic and visceral portrayal of the harrowing ordeal of conflict victims and the personal and societal implications of the resulting psychological trauma;
Story Synopsis:
Aisha’s younger sister, Zainab, is getting married. Elaborate traditional preparations are undertaken in the local village in rural Borno State by the family of the milkmaid sisters and that of her farmer fiancé, Haruna. The day arrives, the union is sealed. But prospects of a bright future together for the new couple are violently dashed when insurgents strike right in the middle of the wedding reception. After the ensuing carnage and forced separations, the sisters are abducted along with other villagers and taken to the base of the insurgents on the outskirts of a remote town. The unacceptable new life imposed on the sisters will test their concepts of self, family, faith, relationships, and even humanity, forcing them to make choices for their survival and sanity that will have profound consequences for all concerned. Has the innocence of the past now become an impossible dream?
Main Cast:
Anthionieta Kalunta:
A theater arts graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, as well as an on-air-personality with a local media organization.
Anthonieta emerged from an extensive audition process to be selected as the lead role of elder sister, Aisha in The Milkmaid, her film debut
Maryam Booth:
A rapidly rising star in Kannywood and its forerunner, Nollywood.
She was educated in both Nigeria and Malaysia and is daughter of Kannywood actress Zainab Booth. She commenced acting at age 8 and has since featured in several top-tier productions. A versatile performer, she plays the role
of younger sister Zainab in the film.
Gambo Usman Kona:
An accomplished actor and filmmaker in the local film industry in Taraba State with consistent participation in several movie productions over the last decade. He portrays the lead male character of Dangana in
The Milkmaid.
The Filmmakers:
Desmond Ovbiagele (Writer, Producer & Director):
An investment banker before exiting to pursue a passion for movie production. He wrote, produced and directed his debut feature film, RENDER TO CAESAR, which was selected to screen in official competition at FESPACO, Africa’s largest film festival, in 2015, as well as at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
It also received awards for Best Screenplay at the Nollywood Movies Awards and Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards respectively, in addition to the award for Best International Feature Film at the Nile Diaspora International Film Festival in Kampala, Uganda.THE MILKMAID, which he wrote, produced and directed, is his second feature film.
Yinka Edward (Cinematographer):
Born in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, Yinka Edward is an award winning Nigerian cinematographer. For his work on The Figurine, he won the 2010 African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for cinematography. He was nominated for best cinematography at the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) for his work on October 1 (Winner, Best Movie), which also won the Festival Programmers‟ Award for Narrative Feature at the 2015 Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), Los Angeles. Something Necessary, a Kenyan/German feature movie production which Yinka shot in Kenya, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013 and was nominated for the Audience Choice Award at the Chicago International Film Festival 2013. Yinka was nominated for his work in cinematography for 76 (2017 AMVCA Winner for Best Movie, Official Selection for Toronto International Film Festival & BFI London Film Festival) as well as 93 Days (Toronto International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival). Most recently, Yinka shot A Love Story, winner in the Best British Short Animation Category of the 2017 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) and won the 2018 AMVCA for Best Cinematographer for Okafor’s Law.
Yinka is an alumnus of the National Film and Television School, Beaconsfield, England, where he received a Masters of Arts degree in Film and Television production with a concentration in cinematography.
Pat Nebo (Production Designer):
A veteran of over 25 years in film production, Pat Nebo is one of the most prolific Production Designers in the continent of Africa. He graduated from a leading arts academy in Rome, following courses in architecture and fine arts, also in Italy. Over the years he has considerable acclaim for his work in art decoration, winning several laurels at the most prestigious film competitions in the continent, including the award for Best Art Director at both the 2017 AMVCA and the 2017 AMAA for 76, as well as the award for Best Art Director at 2015 AMVCA for October 1.
Seun Sowemimo (Executive Producer):
A nationally recognized, general and bariatric surgeon specializing in weight-loss surgery in New Jersey USA. Dr. Sowemimo maintains a lifelong interest in the creative arts and their capacity for effecting positive social interventions. He is the Executive Producer of The Milkmaid
Authenticity:
Location: Taraba State
Nicknamed Nature’s Gift to the Nation‟, Taraba is the 3rd largest state in Nigeria and consists of undulating landscapes and mountainous features which are unparalleled in beauty throughout the country Tourist attractions include the Mambilla Tourist Center, the Gashaka-Gumpti National Parkand Game Reserve, and the Nwunyu Fishing Festival
The location is visually aesthetic showcasing the formidable tourism potential of a region whose nature park is commonly referred to by international experts as Africa’s best-kept secret
Language: Hausa
For a more immersive experience, the dialogue is captured in the Hausa language, supported by English subtitle
Aims and Objectives of the Milkmaid movie:
• To produce a contemporary and socially relevant movie that provides genuinely compelling entertainment to filmgoers while sensitizing them to a relevant social issue
• To support the professional development of Nigeria‟s domestic film industry (Nollywood) through the employment of a predominantly local cast and crew on an international-grade production
• To contribute to the domestic economy in Northern Nigeria (specifically in Taraba State) through the various income-generating opportunities created by the productions location
• To showcase the richness and vibrancy of the Nigerian/Hausa/Fulani culture to an international audience
• To prompt into action policy makers and other key personnel in public, global, regional, subregional and non-governmental institutions engaged in oversight and intervention activities for IDPs and conflict prevention
• To contribute to the ongoing discourse on the threats posed by extremism
• To constitute a platform to draw attention to the present plight of real-life victims of militant insurgency in Nigeria (internally displaced persons, IDPs), and thereby generate support for their economic & psychological rehabilitation and social re-integration.
Team Laurent 
