“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.
As a dying wish from his father, Babatunde (Zozimo Bulbul) returns to Brazil to discover the history of his ancestors. Given a spiritual Yemoja carving, he is taken on a journey that transports him back to his grandfather’s captivity and enslavement. Through the power of the gods and some amazing characters he meets along the way, Babatunde ultimately finds his own path.
Upon arriving in Brazil, Babatunde seeks out a Candomble which is an Afro-Brazilian religious spiritual temple believed to release powers from the gods through drums and dancing. He is in search of anything that will help him find the matching carving leading to his family. At the Candomble, he encounters Elisa (Sonia Santos) who is touched by the spirits and advises him to go to Bahia where he can translate the carving. Babatunde chooses her to assist him on his journey, and with help from a wise native along the way, they are told to continue onto Esmeralda.
The two encounter a woman who turns out to be the Priestess of Esmeralda Yemoja (Lea Garcia). She brings them back to her home and after entering, Elisa is taken over by the presence of a strong spirit. When she touches Babatunde, he faints and we are suddenly transported out of 1978 and back to his grandfather Oluyole’s (Jorge Coutinho) past as a young captive waiting to be sold into slavery.
Director Ola Balogun really captures the powerful story of a young man enslaved but never breaks down, never loses sight of who he is and how strong he has to be. Elisa is now a slave they call Amanda, a strong young woman who never internally gives in, no matter what. As the master’s son decides that Amanda will work in the home where he has access to her, her worst nightmare is inevitable.
When Elisa and Oluyole meet one day in passing, there is an instant connection between them. They take care of each other and eventually become parents, which is a shock to the master’s son because he assumed the baby would look like him. After Amanda is severely punished for delivering a black child, she is forced to work in the fields a day after giving birth. Suffering and in pain, Oluyole and her plan their escape. They break free and I felt like I had struggled right along with them, I am so elated for their freedom. The feeling lasts only seconds after the baby’s cry gives her away and Amanda is killed. Oluyole attacks and stabs the master’s son and gets away with the baby whom he gives to a woman by the river who can feed it. When Babatunde awakens and finds out that there is no matching carving and that he has been given the gift of his ancestry’s history, he embarks on a new journey with Elisa.
I LOVED this film! There was so much power, mysticism, strength, love, and faith within the characters that I couldn’t help but feel empowered even when they were powerless. I loved the confrontation scene between the master’s son and Oluyole as he fought back and killed him. This was one of those moments the audience waits for and I was so happy when it finally arrived. I loved the closeness he had with Amanda, it added a feel of humanity to their characters, which is never given to slaves. It was beautiful when Babatunde discovers that his grandfather was this amazing man who wasn’t just a slave, he was a human being who was strong, spiritual, he loved and he was loved. The ending was perfect as he decided to leave the carving and start his new life with Elisa. Great story, strong from beginning to end.
“Black Goddess” recently premiered at the 2019 New York African Film Festival
