Bolanle Austen-Peters to produce Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s biopic

Nigerian filmmaker, Bolanle Austen-Peters, has been given the nod to produce a biopic on Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

Austen-Peters made the announcement in a recent statement.

According to her, the biopic will feature cameo appearances from Funmilayo’s grandchildren.

Austen-Peters said “Having directed the stage version of the story of great women such as ‘Queen Moreni’, ‘Oluronbi’, and ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens’, I am interested in telling the story of this phenomenal woman, Funmilayo.

“She was a woman with many parts and was first in many things. She was the first girl to attend an all-boys school, first woman to drive a car in western Nigeria; a political activist who fought for the rights of women; first woman to found a political party, confronted traditional and colonial authorities in unprecedented mass protests.

“Apart from these, she was a loving wife and mother who raised four successful children amongst whom is Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

“This is an inspirational story. We need positive role modeling for young African women and the world at large.

“At BAP Productions, we believe in telling uniquely African stories. This is a story of a brave and courageous woman, a leader, an activist and a family woman.”

Also, the project titled ‘Funmilayo: The Lioness of Lisabi’, will hit the cinemas between 2022 and 2023.

It follows the success of other productions from the stables of Bolanle Austen-Peters Production, such as: 93 Days which was screened at several international film festivals including, Toronto International Film Festival, Chicago Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, San Francisco Film Festival, African Film Festival Cologne and Johannesburg Film Festival, winning an award at the festival in Los Angeles.