Sharon Ooja has addressed the backlash against Yomi Black's The Modern Woman.
Released on June 3, 2023, the poster and synopsis quickly made the rounds online as people pointed out the problematic tagline.
"After settling down with the man of her dreams, a young woman rethinks her decision when she is swallowed by the jaws of a toxic men-hating group of feminists," the synopsis read.
24 hours later, Ooja, who plays the lead, has reacted to the public outrage, dissociating herself from the film until the "false narrative" used to promote the project is fixed.
In her words, "Good morning everyone I'd like to address that what was shot in the film modern woman has nothing to do with the trending log-line used in the press release (not even close). Why the producer decided to use this false narrative is beyond me, I don't align with such negativity."
Not long after her public statement, the writer and director Black took to his Instagram page to share a new synopsis.
The updated outline reads, “A young woman's carefully balanced life, torn between career, family, and love, spirals into chaos when she faces the devastating loss of her pregnancy. In a fight to reclaim her identity, she must navigate a treacherous path towards self-discovery, challenging societal norms, and embracing her own truth.”
Written and directed by Black, the movie stars Ooja, Timini Egbuson, Bimbo Akintola, Ebere Nwizu, Chinoso Arubayi, Juliet Ibrahim, Nene Nwanyo, and Kammel Audu.
With Babatope Seyi as the director of photography, the movie is executive produced by Anita Danjamic, who is also credited for the story. Cinemax is in charge of distribution.
The Modern Woman hits cinemas on August 18, 2023.