How far would you go to pay for a child's life-saving operation?

Ten men in a taxi, strangers to each other, head to an unusual line up, where they must strip and subject themselves to blindfolds and inspection by a mysterious woman and her charge. Only seven go home that night, big money in their pockets. But what of the other three? The ritual is replayed again and again, and the attrition continues. For one man the rumours of how much ‘the chosen' make spurs him on - he is desperate for the money to pay for a child's operation. But what is price of being chosen? Iwajomo's spooky, disturbing film confronts the perils of the poverty trap and the abuse of the desperate, in an allegory for the exploited.

Directed by Folasakin Iwajomo (Lagos)
Running Time: 13:00 min
Language: English/Pidgin English/Yoruba;
Subtitles: English


Produced by Victor Okhai
Executive Producer: Steven Markovitz

This short is part of The African Metropolis Short Film Project, an initiative of the Goethe-Institut South Africa and South African executive producer Steven Markovitz, with support from Guaranty Trust Bank and the Hubert Bals Fund of International Film Festival Rotterdam.

The short films are set in Lagos (Director: Folasakin Iwajomo), Abidjan (Philippe Lacôte), Kinshasa (Carole Maloba), Dakar (Marie KA), Johannesburg (Vincent Moloi), Cairo (Ahmed Ghoneimy) and Nairobi (Jim Chuchu).


2013 | 34th DIFF, Durban
* Selection - Section: Short Fiction
* World Premiere
* Screening, followed by Q&A: 20 JULY - 17:00 - MUSGRAVE B
* Panel discussion: 21 July - 09H00 - South Deck Room, 11th floor, Blue Waters Hotel
* Screening, followed by Q&A: 21 JULY - 16:00 - BLUE Waters Hotel
* Sundowner: 21 JULY - 18:00 - Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel, Pooldeck
* Screening, followed by Q&A: 23 JULY - 16:00 - Ohlange School Hall, Inanda
www.durbanfilmfest.co.za/2013/feature-films/african-metropolis