Amazing Grace

An Amazing Grace in Lagos


Picture from http://www.theamazinggracefilm.com

My country peoplleeeeee, I have finally watched a good quality Nigerian Movie. It’s called the Amazing grace and I loved it although there were a few cheesy moments. I went to the cinema with no expectations except the fact that I’d heard it was ‘good’ which is really subjective. Compared to all other Nollywood stuff I give it an A. The fact that the natives spoke Efik which was subtitled in English preserved the authenticity of the story centered around the slave trade period. I loved the cast especially one of the main characters ANSA whose name is Mbong Obungide. I think she did a good job for a first timer. Fred Amata the main dude was so so. KUDOS JETA AMATA! You did Nigeria proud.

The Amazing Grace is one of the most ambitious projects to come out of the Nollywood stable. Reputed to be the first major international feature film from the Nigerian movie industry, it highlights the epic story of the British slave trader, John Newton’s voyage to Nigeria in 1748, and how this experience helped inspired him to compose the world famous hymn, Amazing Grace.

The film was directed by the internationally acclaimed Nigerian filmmaker, Jeta Amata. Already one of the Nolywood’s top directors, Jeta Amata had recently worked with the BBC and two of his latest films were shown at last year’s Berlin Film festival. The Amazing Grace was also screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The movie, The Amazing Grace features a cast of renowned actors from Nigeria, the US and Britain, including Nick Moran (Lock Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels). Shooting started on December 1, 2004 in the Nigerian City of Calabar, which has recently become a Mecca of sort for filmmakers, with a multi-billion naira investment in state-of-the-art equipment and technology. The production was flagged off and has the backing of His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, who has been instrumental to the success of the project.

In 1748, at the height of the slave-trading era, John Newton sails to the coast of Nigeria and the port of Calabar. Now captain of this ship, The Greyhound, his previous experience in the slave trade had turned him away from religion, into a coarse man with new morals.

Slaves were rounded up by force and trickery; villages raided and burned down, the captives kept in dungeons, chained like animals as John Newton fills his ship with his what he hardly considers human.

But as he leaves the Nigerian coast with a ship load of slaves, a violent storm brings John Newton to the point of death and causes him to re-evaluate his life. He attributes his miraculous escape to The Amazing Grace of God, although it is one of the slaves who actually saved him.

Despite receiving The Amazing Grace, John Newton continues his slave trading. It makes an act of humanity from one of the slaves he considers animals to show him the true meaning of the words. He finally renounces slave trading and decides to devote his life to religion.

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