Nigeria and Brazil / 1978 / 95mins / Historical Drama, Magic Realism / Portuguese

Black Goddess, a classic Nigerian-Brazilian film from director Ola Balogun, journeys into the past and present of Africa. Balogun’s tale is a love story that spans three centuries, set in both the 18th century and the 1970s, when the movie was made. Structured in the form of a mystical journey, the film unfolds under the aegis of the Yoruba divinity, Yemoja.

Ola Balogun

Ola Balogun is a Nigerian film director and one of the pioneers of the evolving Nigerian video cinema market. He was born in August 1945 in Aba, Imo State. He directs in different film genres, ranging from art works to popular movies. He studied at the University of Dakar, Senegal (1962-1963) and the University of Caen, France, from 1963-1966. He also studied at the French Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques. In 1969, he worked with the Federal Ministry of Information as a scriptwriter and was later posted to Paris as a press attaché of the Nigerian Embassy. His movie Aiye, a reproduced effort of Duro Ladipo’s play was a major cinematic event in shaping Nigeria’s horror genre. His major breakthrough was also a work of Duro Ladipo, Ajani Ogun. The film led a movement from stage works to produced films. Aiye starred the Yoruba actor Herbert Ogunde. Ola Balogun produced two of the earliest Yoruba and Igbo movies, Ajani Ogun and Amadi. Learn More