The Pretty Ones Are the Loneliest

Three members of one and the same family in Nigeria search for love and acceptance in completely different scenarios: Emem is 37 years old and her marriage has fallen apart. Not least because Bassey, her teenage son from a previous relationship, keeps getting into trouble and incurring the wrath of his stepfather Tamuno. Emem decides to take him to her widowed father. Bassey, who has always been in search of a place of belonging, finds it in his grandfather's house. The two develop a bond with each other that goes beyond that of relatives, and Bassey begins to help his grandfather with his relationship problems. Meanwhile, Emem is still struggling with her broken marriage and is tempted when a wild painter she is interviewing for her magazine falls in love with her. ‘The Pretty Ones Are the Loneliest’ is a passionate, touching drama from Nigeria: a poignant story of longing, loneliness and hope. Films have been made in Nigeria since the 1970s and on a larger scale since the 1990s. In the style of Hollywood and Bollywood, Nigerian film is also marketed as ‘Nollywood’. According to estimates, around 400 to 2000 films are produced in Nigeria every year; according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 987 films were produced in 2009. This makes Nigeria the second largest film nation in the world after India and ahead of the USA. Director Imoh Umoren: ‘My film is about love and acceptance, basically a very human struggle: the struggle of being lonely while being in a relationship. It's not just about those who are in a relationship, but about anyone who has ever been in love. It's relatable because it's about the vulnerability of being human. Nollywood cannot be positive sometimes with its stereotypical stories. ‘The Pretty Ones Are the Loneliest’ is a change from the norm, the film is relaxing and fun.’ Imoh Umoren did not want to release his film in Nigeria's commercial cinemas: ‘Most Nigerians would rather see a comedy than a love story in the cinema. Besides, I'm not prepared to go through the hassle. The tickets will be distributed randomly to fans by our main sponsor, Four Cousins Wine. The premiere will only be held in two locations, Lagos and Abuja, in a closed and relaxed atmosphere that suits the film.’