The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos and Freedom Way are among 12 films chosen by the 2024 Red Sea Film Festival for its Festival Favourites section. Both films appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival months ago and are the only African films chosen for the section.
Other films in the section, which focuses on films with some success across the festival circuit, include Sandhya Suri’s Santosh, the UK’s 2025 Oscar submission and Black Dog, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes. Familiar Touch from director Sarah Friedland, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, is also part of the lineup.
The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos is directed by the Agbajowo Collective, a group that includes five Nigerians: Bisola Akinmuyiwa, Atinkpo Elijah, Tina Edukpo, Samuel Okechukwu, and Temitope Ogungbam. It is the story of a poor young mother living in a slum. Her life unravels with the discovery of a pile of cash hidden by a politician. Its casts include Temi Ami-Williams, Debo Adedayo, and Kachi Okechukwu.
Afolabi Olalekan’s Freedom Way shows how the lives of the founders of a new ride-sharing app and that of a poor bike ride intersects with tragic consequences. The film stars Akin Lewis, Femi Jacobs, Meg Otanwa, Mike Afolarin, and Teniola Aladese.
Other films in the section include Eephus directed by Carson Lund, The Inevitable Journey to find a Wedding Dress by Jaylan Auf, Little Jaffna directed by Lawrence Valin, and Quiet Life directed by Alexandros Avranas.
Kaleem Aftab, director of international programming for the Red Sea festival, said, the announced selection “continues to demonstrate our commitment to showcasing diverse voices and perspectives during the festival.
“These films explore a range of real, human themes – from contemporary social issues to relationships and the search for meaning in an increasingly complex and chaotic world.”
