Nigerian filmmaker Francesca Tilley-Gyado’s short, The Years The Locust Ate, to screen at Cannes Festival

Nigerian filmmaker Francesca Tilley-Gyado’s short film The Years The Locust Ate has been selected for the prestigious Short Film Competition at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, according to multiple news outlets. 

And we are totally chuffed. Call it reflected glory if you like but the point is that this achievement is shining a positive light on Nigeria. While THe Years The Locust Arte is not Nollywood, the achievement of this milestone nonetheless will serve to motivate Nollywood filmmakers that they too could be honoured at the world stage if they try hard enough.

This year’s Cannes Festival comes up from 14th to 25th May 2019. Cannes is unarguably the most prestigious film festival with fierce competition among filmmakers to get their work accepted by the festival. In fact, several films are known to have gone on to win the Oscars following their premiering at the Cannes. Some industry experts also opine that the film catalogue serves as a pulse to what to expect at the Oscars. The festival is also a hub for networking, collaborating and partnering opportunities for filmmakers.

The Years The Locust Ate follows a family living in exile from the Dirty War. The Dirty War, also called The Process of National Reorganisation, was an infamous campaign waged fro 1976 to 1983 by Argentina’s military dictatorship against suspected left-wing political opponents, dissidents and leftist guerrillas.

Tilley-Gyado, who grew up in Lagos and moved to England at 7, has lived in 5 other countries across Europe, Africa, North and South America.

Here’s the film’s synopsis below:

“Former revolutionary, Nikhil Alvarez and his daughter, Salome come together in their adopted home on his birthday for quiet celebration only to unlock painful memories.”

“Long exile from their homeland, Argentina and the forced cessation of dreams has caused lost years, regret and broken family. On this day- the two find themselves facing the stark reality of their lives.

“Brought together by the forces for reconciliation, this is an exploration into separation and forgiveness of relationships with others, with ourselves and with time.