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Review by Darren Carver-Balsiger ★★★★

The sounds of love over crashing waves. Or alternatively, gunfire. Mami Wata is a unique and complete vision, a film of high contrast images carefully curated around a woman's spiritual journey. It's a film of West African folklore, of gods and powers beyond human understanding. The story is one of matriarchal power challenged, and struggles to control a society. In some ways there is a conservatism to Mami Wata, a depiction of progress as being prone to manipulation, but ultimately the film is a celebration of culture. Though it does show the faults of hierarchical structures, of control in the hands of few, whether they be traditional or modern. Through the depictions of violent masculine power, a contrast is drawn…

Review by Realkinoshit ★★★½

A visually stunning black and white film that beautifully captures the essence of West African folklore. With captivating cinematography and exquisite costume design, it explores the clash between ancient beliefs and modernization. This thought-provoking narrative prompts reflection on the enduring significance of tradition in a changing world.

Review by St. Sebastian ★★★½

This marks a significant advancement for Nollywood, without a doubt. The film presents a distinctive visual storytelling style through stark black and white imagery, vibrant and lively natural elements, and captivating night scenes. Set against the backdrop of a tranquil village by the sea, a thoughtful parable unfolds exploring themes of original sin, the conflict of power and faith, the clash between paganism and modern warfare idolatry.

Mami Wata, a revered deity through generations, is portrayed as a symbol of resistance against aggressively masculine society, while also defending cultural identity of monoethnic communities in the face of destructive urbanization. The acting is commendable, although the third act's dynamics felt somewhat chaotic. The confrontation between Prisca and Jasper, representing good and evil, the female propher and the male devil, unfolds from false love and betrayal to a final battle to the death, standing out as the film's highlight.

4

I had the privilege of introducing this film tonight at the International Film Series in Boulder. Below are my remarks:

As far as I can tell, Mami Wata is the first Nigerian film to be shown at the IFS. This is notable because Nigeria has one of the largest film industries in the world, dating back to the mid-1990s, a period when all the movie theaters in Nigeria had shut down. Enterprising filmmakers with no formal training shot films first with video cameras and later digital cameras, and these were then sold on cheap, low-format DVDs in open-air markets, to be watched at home, or in little open-air theaters on TV screens. To give you a sense of how large…

Review by joshrowley ★★

Clunky; folkloric; monochromatic; plodding; striking; stunning; unengaging.

Review by BrandonHabes ★★★½

Shot in sumptuous, high-contrast black-and-white, this is easily the most visually striking thing I watched at Sundance. A gorgeously rendered, highly expressive picture that takes the myths and symbols of Nigerian culture and shores them into a spiritual fable I really vibed with. Belief systems are under siege in this monochromatic allegory, a story about the loss of faith and the rise of war, violence, and patriarchy. I'm not sure I've ever seen a film about the divine feminine before, or at least not one that explicitly positions Her within the role of sacred guardian over a very troubled, demanding community. She rules with a mysterious hand and seems to have access to an ancient order of wisdom dated back…

Review by Sara Clements ★★★½

MAMI WATA, named after the water goddess worshipped in parts of Africa, explores the internal conflicts that arise from loss of faith. Immerses its audience in impeccable sound design, striking imagery and B&W cinematography. Stunning traditional makeup and costumes.

Review by haley ★★★★

Mami Wata is a lot of things, to a lot of people. She is a trans-Atlantic goddess present in more spiritual traditions in West Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas than can be counted. I know Mami Wata from my study of African art history. Visuals of her are tremendously varied, and there are few hard and fast rules of how to depict her. She could have a mermaid tail, or a great snake entwined about her shoulders like a shrug, or both; she could be black, or white, or brown depending on who is worshipping her and the histories underpinning that worship. But she is always a fierce woman, a force of nature in the truest sense, connected not…

3

There's a particular sort of digitized, maverick aesthetic commonly associated with Nigerian cinema—particularly through the ubiquity of its video-based Nollywood industry—that makes a film like Mami Wata stand out even within the context of its local setting. Naturally, Nigerian cinema isn't any one thing (the term "Nollywood" is itself often debated as a defining label for any specific type or style of cinema beyond merely its country of origin), but C.J. "Fiery" Obasi's film still turns heads because of its own chosen mode; one which adheres to its folkloric roots while remaining altogether modern in its particular visual technique.

The first thing anyone will reference about Fiery's film is its monochromatic colour palette (or lack thereof), and for good reason.…

Review by ndc32002 ★★★★ Liked

this easter, i add mami wata to my pantheon of gods

Review by Marya E. Gates ★★★★

Through the use of a fable structure, Obasi deftly weaves heavy political, philosophical, and theological ideas together with his keen eye for striking imagery to craft a film that feels both classical and futuristic. Mami Wata's guidance may be specifically for the people of Iyi, but we can all learn from her wisdom.

[Read my full capsule review at RogerEbert.com]

1

I like my women like I like my Wata: Mami!