Mother of George, director Andrew Dosunmu's follow-up to last year's debut feature Restless City, tells the story of a Brooklyn-based Nigerian couple (Isaach de Bankolé and Danai Gurira) struggling to conceive a child. The film's striking shots of flowing multi-colored robes draw on Dosunmu's background in design and photography. Here he shared with us his hopes for exposing Yoruba culture to a worldwide audience. Why does de Bankolé's character own a restaurant?
I wanted to show the greatness of Yoruba cuisine. What better way to celebrate the culture than food? We all know of the immigrant restaurant on the corner, whether it's an Indian or a Polish restaurant. There had to be some-thing that was family-run. The film itself is about lineage.
How long did it take to make Mother of George?
It was in process for about five years. The frustration [of waiting] is what made me do Restless City, because it was like that restlessness. After that film premiered and did well, the finance for this film came through.
How did making Restless City help you with your second film?
Restless City for me was a canvas to paint on, and I was free, so that was very helpful in making Mother of George because I knew what kind of filmmaker I wanted to be. I like to tell stories visually: stories that transcend a specific place, that anyone anywhere in the world can watch. I think dialogue kills cinema.
Photo courtesy of Mother of George