Finally, ‘The Milkmaid’ gets approval for public viewing

The National Film and Video Censors’ Board (NFVCB) has finally given its approval for the public viewing of ‘The Milkmaid’.

The final copy of the movie, which has Northern Nigeria as its setting, was viewed by journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

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Speaking after the screening of the 90-minute movie, which mirrored the sufferings of communities in the Northeastern part of Nigeria in the hands of insurgents, the National President of Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Peace Anyiam Osigwe, confirmed that the movie had passed through all the security tests by relevant government agencies.

She said: “I hope you enjoyed seeing the final version of the film.

“As Association of Movie Producers, we have worked with the Film Censors Board, the DSS [Department of State Services] and other people to make sure that the film meets all relevant protocols that will allow it to be shown in cinemas.

“There are two films coming out at this particular time; there’s ‘Voiceless’ and ‘The Milkmaid’.”

The acceptable version

She expressed joy that the Association was able to get the movie producer, the NFVCB and DSS to come together to finally get an acceptable version of the movie.

On her part, Vice President of the Association, Queen Blessing Ebigieson, said, “Everything they [NFVCB] don’t want in the film has been removed and what you saw just now is the approved version by the government.”

National Secretary of the Association, Baba Agba, said one had to get a certificate from the Board to be able to publicly exhibit the movie.

“The movie is on a touchy subject and we have to be sure that the film fosters the right conversation which is for development”, he said.

He added that the association was looking forward to helping other producers navigate through the protocols of approval.

The movie

In rural sub-Saharan Africa, Aisha, a Fulani milkmaid, is searching for her younger sister, Zainab.

Dire personal circumstances force her to approach the religious militants, who were responsible for their separation in the first instance, but she is determined to find her despite the compromises she must make to do so.

However, her quest to recapture her blithe past proves to be unexpectedly complicated in a world whose festering conflict provides several paths to becoming a victim with typically irreversible consequences.

The Director

Desmond Ovbiagele worked for over a decade in investment banking before exiting to pursue a passion for movie production.

He wrote, produced and co-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 also wrote, produced and directed, is his second feature film.