Encomium
+Reviews Accident, AMAA 2014 Nigeria Best Film
PROLIFIC and cerebral filmmaker, Teco Benson is not in a happy mood. He recently lost his 41 year-old immediate younger brother. The director of countless Nollywood flicks in this exclusive interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly shared his grief with us, revealing how he passed on in South Africa after a brief illness.
Teco Benson also opened up on his latest film, Accident, which won this year’s Africa Movie Academy Awards, Best Nigeria Film. Reviewing the movie, Teco told the story of how the script one of his friends gave him 12 years ago as a wedding gift gave birth to Accident. He equally assured he’s back to Nollywood to stay after a hiatus.
You recently lost your kid brother, Chinedu. How old was he?
Just 41. He was my immediate younger brother.
What was the cause of his death?
I think it was elevated blood pressure. He was fine. He dropped his kids in school in the morning. When he wanted to go and pick them, he complained he was feeling somehow. He was weak. His plan was to pick the kids and then attend to his health. He went with his wife but by the time they got to the gate of the school, he started vomiting. The next thing, he was very weak. So, they brought an ambulance but before they got to the hospital he was dead. He died in South Africa. We had to bring his corpse back home according to our tradition. Like in the South East where we come from, we have this kind of Jewish tradition.
How would you describe your brother?
I haven’t recovered from the shock yet. This was a brother who came home 12 years ago. He was a guy who was already discussing plans to introduce his family to us because we’ve not seen them since he got married. All the plans had been made before he died. Chinedu was very close to God. He would call you and always smile. He wouldn’t get angry. Even if you provoked him, he talked gently. He was a very peaceful guy. It’s still like a movie. I’m thinking maybe, I will still see him. I can’t understand it. We used to talk regularly. His account in social media is still there. It’s really confusing but the reality is, he’s gone.
What more would you miss most about the deceased?
The words we shared because we don’t live together. I know the wife and children would miss him more but I will miss the words we shared. He gave me calls occasionally and I also called him on my own. We shared our future. I will miss everything about him.
Are your parents alive?
No. I’m actually an orphan.
How many were you?
We were five but we have lost one now.
Please accept our sincere condolences.
Thank you, Uche.
Your movie, Accident won this year’s Best Nigerian Film Award at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). How does it feel?
I must tell you that I feel very elated. I feel great. I don’t really know, it’s something that comes with a lot of emotions because for sometime I’ve not released any of my movies. There has been a downturn in the industry. A lot of people have really messed up the system to the extent that the attraction and passion we had before have slowed down. But I had to return because if we abandon Nollywood for any other business, this industry will die. We don’t have to fold our arms and see things fall apart because this is our calling.
When I was growing I had different plans for myself. But like the Bible says, there are so many plans in a man’s heart but in the end, it is only the will of God that prevails. This has been God’s plan for me. That is why at the end of the day, He brought me back and said, ‘Son, this is where you have to operate.’
If you noticed, all the movies I have done have specific messages. I’m passionate about using the medium of film to contribute to change. I don’t believe we should shift every blame to government or the church. So, I see it as my responsibility. I see myself as a change agent. I’m a role model. A lot of people look up to me and I want to make positive influence on society. I want to be remembered for good when I’m gone. Amaka Igwe is gone. The reality is there. All of us will go one day. People tend to forget when they are comfortable that we don’t belong here, but that is the gospel truth.
What is Accident all about?
Accident is a thriller with a lot of suspense typical of my kind of movies. It’s a film you start, you wouldn’t want to go until you finish seeing it. It is a peculiar story starring Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha, Annie Macaulay-Idibia, Frederick Leonard, Lari Williams and many other old hands. And they interpreted their roles exceptionally. Chioma is a lawyer and Fredrick a young, rich and handsome guy. His marriage is just 15 months old and he wants to divorce his wife because he feels he is not good in bed. He meets Chioma as a lawyer to handle the case. In the process, a lot of water passes under the bridge, Chioma gets her fingers burnt. The rest you would find out in Accident.
How long did it take you to make the movie?
We shot for about five months. Interestingly, I got the script in 2002. That was when that script was cooked.
Why was it delayed?
There are ways you come about scripts and story ideas. When the script came, I was scared. I was newly married. It was like will this script have a negative influence in my own marriage? Why this script? It was actually sowed as a seed. My writer gave me the script as a gift on my wedding day. I was scared. That script was dangerous because I was just stepping into marriage and the intrigues in the plot which involve infidelity, betrayal and other negative issues were really not palatable. I know he gave me the gift innocently. This is a guy who has been working with you and he knows your style. So, I kept it and faced other scripts until the time came for me to make this and we made it 12 years after (laughs).
Are you satisfied with the production quality?
Yes, of course. It was shot on the High Definition (HD) format while adopting the best global practice.
When are you releasing it officially?
We actually intended to go to cinema, but we had a partnership deal with Africa Magic. The idea is that they are going to do an exclusive premiere, which they have done. And the response has been massive.
Being an award category supposedly endowed by the Bayelsa State Government is prize money not attached to it?
I don’t know. I have only collected the award. I have not been informed about a cash prize.
One should think that since the award was endowed by Bayelsa State Government, that language implies it’s funded.
All the same, I thank Bayelsa State Government. I thank AMAA CEO, Peace Anyiam Osigwe. She has a broad initiative. When the idea of AMAA came, many people would have limited themselves to just Nigeria but she came with a pan African vision. Initially, she had a local jury, now she has gone international like we saw at AMAA at 10.
There were indeed other equally well-produced movies that jostled for the award, Accident eventually won. What gave it the edge?
There are indices to determine a good movie. And we have a jury made up of renowned film scholars and critics. These people understand film. They understand film theory, film making and ingredients of a good film. So, if in their wisdom, they singled out Accident out of many other entries, who am I to question them? Accident emerged the best film made in Nigeria in 2014. In the best overall films, only Accident was featured. Other films were from other countries, only Accident was made in Nigeria. So, ideally, Accident became the best film in Nigeria. The film also won nomination in other categories like Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Editing…I’m happy. I have no complaint. I thank God for the honour my film was given.
So, can we say Teco Benson is now fully back to Nollywood?
Big time. I’m fully back. I’m here to stay. I’m ready to work and we have to keep the flag flying, no matter what. We can’t be discouraged anymore, because we’ve seen the intention of the enemy. So, we are not going to go back anymore (laughs).
What’s next for Teco Benson?
There are so many things in the pipeline. I’m working on some short movies on HIV with some international organizations. We are even looking at going into television and other media.
-UCHE OLEHI
