BARIGA SUGAR

Bariga Sugar by Anaecheri.

"I believe the children are our future."

I do too Whitney. I do too.

3 words to describe "Bariga Sugar"- Refreshing. Potential. Deliberate.

***

Bariga Sugar tells the story of Ese (Halima Olarewaju) and Jamil (Tunde Azeez). Ese is a reserved eight-year-old girl whose mother, Tina (Blessing Samuel), is a seasoned prostitute in the ghetto brothel, Bariga Sugar, (more or less a few rungs above Allen Avenue). She immediately brings to our attention in the opening scene that she has no friends (how many of us can relate); however, this does not last long. Shortly afterwards, ten-year-old Jamil moves in with his mother, Hanatu (Lucy Ameh), who is also a prostitute looking for work. Initially, things are rough between the two, but they bond in their shared status as outcasts (a result of their mothers' profession). Subsequently, we are given flashing images of child innocence, innovation and finding joy in the little things. A noteworthy scene is when they play house; not only does it give a classic depiction of childhood imagination and wave of nostalgia, but it makes one reflect on gender roles and how even in play we embody what we are taught (that's a topic for another day). Unfortunately, things get a bit sticky; the mothers start to beef (that's all I'll reveal) but that does not stop them from being friends- after all, wetin concern them?

And then shit goes down.

You start to ask questions. You hope for the best and you get the worst. And so you lose hope. But in the final minute or so, the movie slightly tilts your chin upward, looks into your teary eyes and whispers, "There is beauty in the ashes". And it shows you just that. The beauty is not perfect, but there is something so precious about imperfection. The beauty is just enough to tie up lose ends. So your questions are answered, but you are still a bit dazed, because more questions are brewing. Alas, you see the closing credits. And you manage to be okay with it.

What strikes me the most about this film is the amazing performances of the child actors. Personally, I don't think that Nollywood pays attention to child actors and the potential they have. Children are so fascinating because as we watch them, we see ourselves. So it's weird how we do not see enough movies that represent commonality; we've all been children before. The fact that Bariga was abe to capture the 'child voice' in such an authentic approach deserves acknowledgment and a round of applause. And the adults did an amazing job, complementing the children and adding to that air of authenticity.

Although Bariga Sugar had a bit of a sluggish feel in its story telling, every scene served its purpose and was necessary; the story was coherent, straight to the point and a beautiful effort. The acting, cinematography and plot were refreshing (what's more refreshing than the daily travails of a child of a Nigerian prostitute?), held a lot of potential (am I the only one that can see a potential TV series?) and carries a tone of deliberateness that bears testament  to the dedication of the cast and crew. Try as I might, images of Gold Spot and cheap blond wigs are engraved in my mental, so it's safe to say that the movie has left its mark. Give the film a chance- what's there to regret about that?

Watchability:

On a scale of 1-10, with one being very hard to watch and ten being very easy to watch, I would give Bariga Sugar and easy 6- if you have a short attention span or like a lot of movement/ action, it's not the movie for you. However, if you're into simple story telling with an emotional rather than physical journey, it's highly recommended. If you're not into Nollywood, it can go either way, but for Nollywood lovers you might appreciate it simply because of the effort.

Give it a watch and let me know what you think.