Nigerian filmmaker C.J. Obasi brings us Hello, Rain, a vibrant Sci-Fi short film adaptation of Nnedi Okorafor’s beautiful short story Hello, Moto. Last year, we were given a behind-the-scenes look at the short film. Now, we’re even more in awe as we watch the enticing teaser trailer for Hello, Rain.
Nnedi Okorafor’s ‘Hello, Moto’ tells the story of Rain, a woman who learns that she can combine technology with witchcraft to create magical wigs for her friends that, in turn, gives them otherworldly powers. Read an excerpt from the short story, provided by Konbini:
“We were three women. Three friends. We had goals, hopes and dreams. We had careers. Two of us had boyfriends. We owned houses. We all had love.
Then I made these wigs. I gave them to my two friends. The three of us put them on. The wigs were supposed to make things better.
But something went wrong. Like the nation we were trying to improve, we became backward. Instead of giving, we took.”
C.J. Obasi is perhaps best known for his debut horror feature, a zero-budget film, OJUJU (2014). As a fan of OJUJU herself, Okorafor and Obasi appear to be likeminded creative spirits, merging their visionary talents together. In an interview with Shadow and Act, Obasi discussed why he chose to adapt Hello, Moto in particular into a film. “I asked Nnedi if she had any un-optioned short stories, and she told me she did. She sends me a catalogue of short stories, and I read every single one of them,” he said.
“They’re all amazing, and I want shoot every single one of them. But something about ‘Hello, Moto jumped out to me. I also loved that it has three powerful women at the core of its narrative—scientist witches at that. That stuff just intrigues the hell out of me. And then it has these underlining themes on politics, corruption and black women’s hair, and that’s Africa right there. That’s the world!” Through projects such as Hello, Rain, Obasi is bringing more alternative and versatile African stories to the mainstream.
In the teaser trailer, we are introduced to the three women (Rain, Coco, and Philo) and a brief backstory. The women inhabit a visually stunning Afrofuturistic world, complete with vibrant colors, whimsical fashion, and magical wigs. “Don’t ever mix juju with technology,” the narrator repeats, conveying a message of impending doom that is unforeseen to Rain, Philo, and Coco.
Hello, Rain stars Keira Hewatch, Tunde Aladese, and Ogee Nelson. Below, watch the enthralling trailer for the Afrofuturistic short film.
