BFI Flare 2020: Zena Egbe
We spoke with Zena Igbe about their film Sweet Mother, which was due to screen at the since cancelled 2020 BFI Flare Festival this year, despite this cancellation we still wanted to share our interview. Read how they drew from personal experiences for the film. We also touch on their film making journey, from moving from studying law to creating a web series with friends and what their favourite queer film is.
How did you find your way into filmmaking?
I first got into filmmaking three years ago when I wrote and directed an episode of a web-series I created called 'Reprobates'. I was always interested in film and I always loved writing, but it wasn't really something that was nurtured. My parents being strict Nigerians basically pushed me into studying Law. It wasn't for me and, inevitably, I dropped out. I had a strong urge to do film and began speaking to some friends about the script I had written. They put me in touch with friends that were studying film production at Sheffield Hallam university. After meeting up with them we started production of 'Reprobates'. It was very difficult making Reprobates without a budget but I was determined. We sourced the equipment from the university which lets students loan equipment for free. We put together a cast using actors groups on Facebook and by convincing some of my friends to get involved! It was the most exhilarating experience of my life and I knew then that's what I wanted to do. We learned a lot of lessons from making the first episode and we've since made two more episodes that show our growth as film-makers, and my personal growth as a writer- director. You can find all three episodes on YouTube. Without Reprobates I wouldn't have done my BFI-funded short 'Sweet Mother'.
So tell us about Sweet Mother…
Sweet Mother is a drama about Efosa, a British-Nigerian man, and his relationship with his mother. Efosa's mother is a Nigerian-born woman with very traditionally held views about sexuality and relationships. It all kicks off when his mother discovers that Efosa is gay and really touches on the impact this revelation could have on their previously close relationship. I drew a lot on personal experiences to write this short and the film is really personally important to me. It's something that I think some other queer people might relate to or might have been through.
How did you take the news of being accepted into the BFI Flare?
I was unbelievably excited. I was at the gym when my producer Rico called and told me that we got into Flare and honestly I didn't know what to do with myself. BFI Flare is a huge platform for LGBTQ+ films and so to know that we would reach a big audience with our premiere is amazing news. It doesn't get much better than that really.
How has the process of being in the festival circuit been for you?
BFI Flare will be our premiere as we finished production in late 2019, just as the deadline for Flare approached. We're now awaiting confirmation from other festivals about our application so watch this space.
Funding in this industry can always be a challenge, how did you achieve yours?
Getting funding is a massive challenge, but I was incredibly lucky to have a lot of support from the BFI Film Hub North during the development of Sweet Mother. As well as receiving feedback on my script, they also helped me with networking and I was invited to attend the Aesthetica Film Festival 'Meet Market' in York where I was connected with a lot of producers to discuss 'Sweet Mother'. I eventually met my producer Rico after being connected to him through the BFI Talent Executive at Film Hub North. We got on instantly. When Rico and I began applying for funding, we thought about why the film was important to us and why we wanted to share it. We put together a pitch deck that had a statement from both myself and Rico stating why Sweet Mother was important to us. It also provided visual representation of what I wanted the film to look like. The pitch deck really helped us map everything out and also helped our application for funding. We also got in touch with key cast and crew members and so we were able to attach them to the application. This definitely boosted our chances of getting funding.
What was the most challenging aspect of making of Sweet Mother?
Removing myself from the story to avoid getting emotional because it's so close to home. It wasn't just a reality for me, but it was also a reality for Tolu who played Efosa. Even Kemi who played Efosa's mother really struggled emotionally being that character because it's so far from who she is and that character says some horrible stuff that we had all heard especially being Nigerian. But we knew we had to push past how the confrontation scene between Efosa and his mother made us feel because we wanted to show the harsh reality of what some queer Nigerians and people of other ethnicities face. We focused on this scene in rehearsals before filming. On set, I asked the crew not to talk to the cast because I didn't want them to taken out of the scene. I spoke to both the actors about their characters motivations and all of our experiences.
If you could have gone into any other role in the industry, which would you be interested in?
If I wasn't a writer-director I would want to be a producer or an actor.
Do you have any favourite queer films?
Rafiki is one of my favourite queer films because of how unique, beautiful and brave it is.
What’s the next project for you?
As well as working on the next episode of Reprobates I'm also working on a comedy-horror short film with a non-binary protagonist. I'm still working on the script and I don't want to give away too many details.
And finally, what film are you most looking forward to seeing this year?
I'm looking forward to seeing all of the amazing short films in the 'Go Through It' and 'Catching Feels' categories.
