Tope Oshin's new feature film 'Here Love Lies' has recorded its first international nod at Sundance.
The filmmaker recently confirmed that the movie which premieres in cinemas in 2022 has received a ReFrame Stamp from the prestigious film festival.
'Here Love Lies' is the first African film to receive the ReFrame Stamp, an initiative by the Sundance Institute, Women In Film, and IMDBpro.
First awarded in 2018, the ReFrame Stamp is intended as a mark of distinction for projects that have demonstrated success in gender-balance; as well as to promote and recognize film and TV productions that hire female-identifying people in four out of eight critical areas of production: writer, director, producer, lead, co-lead, speaking parts, department heads, and crew.
Commenting on the award, Oshin said in a statement:
“Receiving this honor and recognition for the type of work I like to do, and have done in my filmmaking career, with women and about women, is indeed a huge blessing, and doubly so, to be in the fantastic company of leading filmmakers and films that have made, and are making great impact in the world.
"With the lovely and encouraging work WIF and Sundance are doing with the ReFrame Project, we can only move forward to do better, in hiring, supporting and continuing to tell resonant and strong gender-balanced stories.”
As director of the movie, Tope Oshin joins an illustrious list of directors that include Gina Prince-Bythewood, Niki Caro, Cathy Yan, Ava DuVernay and Anna Boden (who collaborates with Ryan Fleck).
Starring Oshin in the lead role after a 12-year onscreen hiatus, 'Here Love Lies' tells the story of story of a blogger whose quest for love and subsequent online romance with an American leads to something much more. The feature also stars Tina Mba, Sam Dede, Tim Shelburne, Omowumi Dada, Barbara Walsh, Angel Unigwe and Daniel Etim Effiong
The collaboration between Tope Oshin’s Sunbow Productions and Daniel Ademinokan’s US-based Leon Global Media will premiere on a yet to be confirmed date in 2022.
As part of the ReFrame stamp honor from Sundance, Women In Film, and IMDBpro, the film will be included in the ReFrame Stamp Recipients 2021 List on the official ReFrame website, and will be featured in the Awards section on IMDB.