Before “Ile Owo,” here are the most acclaimed films from Kayode Kasum:
- “Oga Bolaji” (2018)
- “Sugar Rush” (2019)
- “Fate of Alakada” (2020)
- “This Lady Called Life” (2020)
- “Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards” (2020)
- “Quam’s Money” (2020)
- “Ponzi” (2021)
- “The Therapist” (2021)
- “Dwindle” (2021)
- “Soólè” (2021)
Read on for the full story…
Kayode Kasum is one of the best film directors in Nollywood. And in this Scene Dive: Episode 2, we talked to him about “Ile Owo” (House Of Money), coming to cinemas on June 24, and other titles debuting this year.
“Ile Owo” is a horror drama about a lady who falls in love with a 300-year-old man and is directed by Dare Olaitan. If you have ever fantasised about immortality, this is a sure way for you to find out if you’ll ever find love when you become 300 years old.
However, for those who are unsure about seeing this new title, we decided to take a look at all the films that Kayode Kasum has produced and directed over the years; if you have enjoyed more than one of his films, then “Ile Owo” would be an enjoyable watch for you.
But first, what made Kayode Kasum decide to become a filmmaker?
Kasum’s Family of Movie Lovers
Kayode Kasum grew up with his family in Lagos and as a child, his parents didn’t allow him to go outside much.
His cinephile father would bring them Nollywood films on his way home from work, so he would spend his time indoors watching Nollywood classics like “Oluweri Magboojo,” “Eran Iya Osogbo,” “Glamour Girls,” and “Domitila,” with his mom and his grandmother.
Although he hated studying Survey and Geoinformatics at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, plastering the wall of his dorm room with film posters made it more bearable. And it was the poster of Kunle Afolayan’s “The Figurine” (2009), that finally pushed him to join film school.
After convincing his father he could combine Geoinformatics with film school, Kasum enrolled at PEFTI Film Institute in Lagos. He would later drop out of YABATECH two years later, following his father’s death.
“Ile Owo,” Film Trybe and Kayode Kasum’s Film Credits
Though one would have criticised Kasum’s decision to drop out of college and focus on filmmaking, his results years later has now validated he was meant to make films.
Since directing his first film “Dognapped” in 2017, he is now the Creative Director and founder of Film Trybe; a production company he cofounded with his friends so they could pool resources to create films they all love. Modelled after Hollywood’s A24, Kayode started Film Trybe as a creative space that would give young filmmakers the opportunity to tell their unique stories.
And “Ile Owo,” a coproduction between Film Trybe and Singularity Media, is only one of four films Kasum and Film Trybe are bringing to the silver screen this year. The other titles are:
- “Obara M”: a musical drama slated for September 2022, is a story that showcases how death can bring people together.
- “Tarella”: an African Cinderella story written by Lolo Eremie. According to the writer’s research, Cinderella is originally an African story, and the title is an attempt to rewrite the narrative.
- “Shina”: written and directed by Muyiwa Adesokun, follows a cab driver’s journey to save his grandma on the night before elections. Like “Dwindle” (2021) and “Soólè” (2021), the film is also set as a one-day story.
In his movies, Kayode Kasum wants people to see his heart, connect with their own experiences and have a good laugh. This is how he made all his films including:
- “Oga Bolaji” (2018)
- “Sugar Rush” (2019)
- “Fate of Alakada” (2020)
- “This Lady Called Life” (2020)
- “Kambili: The Whole 30 Yards” (2020)
- “Quam’s Money” (2020)
- “Ponzi” (2021)
- “The Therapist” (2021)
- “Dwindle” (2021)
- “Soólè” (2021)
Without any doubt, viewers at home have connected and received his films wholeheartedly, giving his titles considerable box office success. There are four Kayode Kasum’s films in the Top 50 Nigeria Box Office Titles with about ₦600 million gross box office; including “Sugar Rush” (2019) – ₦287 million, “Fate of Alakada” (2020) – ₦113 milion, “Quam’s Money” (2020) – ₦92 million, and “Soólè” (2021) – ₦51 million.
Given his credits and awards, we look forward to how “Ile Owo” would be received by moviegoers and film critics.
Relationship With Talents and Inspiration
Kayode Kasum prides the quality of his films in the bond he is able to form with the casts and crew members on the set of all of his movies. He connects with them through their personal stories and experiences, which he sometimes uses to help them connect with certain emotions when needful.
Kasum believes strongly that filmmaking is a journey that one cannot travel alone. Thus he draws inspiration from others and gives 40-50% room for others to own the creative process on set.
Rate, review and see the official trailer and the full cast of “Ile Owo” here.
