God Calling
Director: Bodunrin Sasore * Cast: Zainab Balogun, Karibi Fubara, Richard Mofe, Nkem Nwabuoku Owoh, Diana Egwuatu -, Onyeka Onwenu, Tina Mba, Eku Edewor (2018, 120 minutes)
A powerful Nigerian drama of faith, suffering and family life, the movie turns around Sade, an upper class woman, tracing her progress from skepticism through pain and suffering to affirmation and proclamation of faith. Sade lives in Lagos close to her parents, with her husband Francis and little daughter Lola. Her wealthy retired father had lost his leg fighting in the Civil war. Sade is highly critical of religion and Francis more or less indifferent, pursuing his career. Sade’s drug addiction prevents her from having another child. One Sunday attend church at the insistence of Lola, and listen to homily dwelling on the idea of God’s call to everyone. At one point, the pastor points at Sade, saying: “Madam, God is calling you!” Sade couldn’t care the less. Her world collapses when little Lola dies in a tragic domestic accident. Francis insinuates that it is Sade’s negligence that caused the tragedy. One night in a drunken state he even suggests divorce. Sade gets mysterious phone calls from “God” on occasions, the first time during the daughter’s funeral. In utter despair, she contemplates suicide on a bridge, challenging God to save her if he is there. She jumps in, but a strange white-robed youth in a small boat mysteriously rescues her and disappears. He reappears at certain other moments in the story. Sade gets God’s phone call again and begins her journey back to faith with a mission to evangelize others. She has a hard time convincing anyone, especially her husband, who rails at God and challenges her to ask God to bring back his lost child if he is to believe. Sade, who had earlier advised her friend to divorce her womanizer husband, gets ridiculed when she advises forgiveness and reconciliation. Sade visits the man and in the face of mockery, gives him a sign from God making him repent and reconcile with his wife. Francis is brought to God when they are told that Sade is pregnant. She is able to convince Francis that God has called them to do mission work in the East. Despite family opposition, she persists in this. More miracles follow, leading to a happy ending.
Harriet
Director. Kasi Lemmons * Cast: Cynthia Erivo ,Leslie Odom Jr, Joe Alwyn, Clarke Peters, Vanessa Bell, Calloway, Omar J. Dorsey, Henry Hunter Hall (2019, 125 minutes)
This is the gripping true story of the dauntless Harriet Tubman, who defied the southern slave holders to liberate hundreds of fellow humans. She would choose death over slavery. Araminta Ross (Minty) growing up in the slave state Maryland had suffered a head injury in childhood from a slaveholder after which she claimed to have occasional divine revelations. Minty is the wife of the freed slave John Tubman, but herself, her mother and sister enslaved in the Brodess estate in 1849. Minty’s father (a former slave) slave requests the release of his family according to a document written by the former master. Old Brodess promptly refuses. Minty desperately prays for old man’s death. Old Brodess’ unexpected death leaves his wife and the dissolute Gideon to succeed to a failing plantation. Minty runs away, leaving her family behind. Brodess and his slave hunters intercept her on a bridge. Minty ignores his coaxing and declaring to choose death over slavery, jumps into the river and is presumed drowned. She survives. Thomas Garrett, an abolitionist, helps her enter Pennsylvania. She walks 25 miles to Philadelphia. She is given refuge by the Anti-Slavery Society. She takes the name of Harriet Tubman in honour of her mother and her husband. She returns home secretly, but finds that her husband, believing she was dead, has remarried. Though heartbroken Harriet survives the tragedy and has more visions enjoining her to liberate other slaves. At great risk Harriet leads nine slaves to freedom. Learning of the escaped slaves, the enraged Gideon attempts to intimidate Harriet’s family. He is ignorant of Minty’s survival and of her incognito as the mysterious ‘Moses’ the slave stealer. Harriet continues to free more slaves at great risks. Learning of the real identity of Moses Gideon chases her to Philadelphia with the slave hunter Bigger Long. Harriet escapes to Canada. In the climactic scene she returns and traps Gideon at gunpoint. She prophesies that he would die fighting for the lost cause of slavery. Tubman later fought in the Civil War (1861-65) liberating hundreds of slaves. She died at 91.
Prof Gigy Joseph
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