Movies, soundtrack and the female element

Before you start, I will like to invite you to check this out. To the women, feel free to share your stories about that part of your anatomy that brings us joy, pain, confusion and comfort. And to the men, feel free to analyse that which your pursuit of defines your life's decisions.

I love film. It presents a world into which I can immerse myself and experience something that at the time is beyond my reach. I watch films quite differently from the average person. I absorb the dialogue, I crtique the wardrobe, sample the music and adopt the characters as my own.
I am going to share some asian films that have in some way brought home the female element and why I love them. I am sharing Asian films because though I am Nigerian and come from a country that has a wide and influential film industry, there are no films, in my opinion that explore the complex relationships that make up our women or dare to showcase women how they really are or ought to be without catering to stereotypical roles that tell us that we have to as women cater to the man at the expense of our happiness, goals and identity.
These films are different and hold different meanings for me but in essence they explore the woman and her varying identities

1. KAMA SUTRA: A TALE OF LOVE
DIRECTOR: MIRA NAIR
I love this movie because it's story completely seduced me and engulfed my senses. I have even written a play in my mind that I call an ode to this film. The performances were gorgeous, the scenery beautiful, the music was haunting and beautiful in its subtlety.
It shared a complex story of a power play between two women and the men whose desires they fulfilled.



2. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA : adapted from the book by Arthur Golden
DIRECTOR: ROB MARSHALL
I love this film because I fell in love with the book. Plus, I am in love with Ken Watanabe, the lead male character. The soundtrack was so beautiful, the costumes gorgeous and the rumoured scandal behind the film's leading ladies, scintillating. I have this on DVD and watch the bonus features on occassion as inspiration of how good I want my cinematography to be when I make my own movies.
The story is of a geisha in pre-second world war Japan and her journey towards becoming a renowned "artist" or geisha. I have always been fascinated by these women who walk the thin line between "kept woman" and entertainer


3. WATER
DIRECTOR: DEEPA MEHTA
I don't want to go as far as say that I worship Deepa but in some ways I do. As a film maker, she has continously chosen to break convention and tell the stories that need to be told.
If you have not seen this film, you need to because it addresses a traditional practice that in most developing countries is still being practiced to day and that is the unfair and unrealistic treatment of widows. "Water" is told from the Indian perspective. With the introduction of the V-Monolugues, we too as Africans can tell ours and help put a stop to a useless and unjust abuse of the basic human rights of women.



4. DOR
DIRECTOR: Nagesh Kukunoor
This director is one of the main reasons why I began to believe that maybe I could make it in the film industry even if I did not go to film school. With a background in engineering, he turned around and went into film and his work gets progressively better with each installment
I love this film because it is about the connection that we women have. This sisterhood, sorority that we have to keep alive, celebrate and promote. The performances were very very good, the scenery was breathtaking and the music I just fell in love with. One of the songs "Yeh Hosla" is playing with this clip