Yvonne Nelson screens 'If Tomorrow Never Comes'

Celebrated actress Yvonne Nelson’s award-winning emotional film titled ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ (ITNC) was screened at the 2016 edition of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Lagos Nigeria, last Thursday.

The sixth AFRIFF opened on Sunday night at a newly-commissioned world standard film house, IMAX Theatres, in Lekki Lagos.

Filmmakers, guests, media persons and dignitaries from all walks of life turned out for the festival’s opening presentation, the acclaimed Hollywood film, ‘Birth Of A Nation’, written, directed by and starring Nate Parker, a previous AFRIFF participant.

The week-long festival will come to a close November 19, 2016. About 155 world standard feature lengths, shorts and documentaries will be screened this year. The programme also encompasses talent development classes, industry workshops and creative discussions.

Yvonne’s ITNC is one of Africa’s major feature films to show at the festival. The epic film made headlines early June 2015 when it was released for cinemas across Ghana and Nigeria.

Starring David Dontoh, Kweku Elliot, Khareemah Aguiar, Deyemi Okanlawon, Becca, Bismark The Joke, as well as Yvonne Nelson, it tells the story of a young girl, Ewurabena, who was sold into slavery by her wicked uncle after her mother died leaving her and her kid brother in the village. She went through all kinds of inhumane treatments in the hands of her handlers. There was even an attempt on her life, but she escaped to the city to hawk on the streets as her only means of survival.

The film was inspired by the sad story of a little boy called Kweku who suffered cerebral malformation, a condition that rendered him unable to sit, stand, walk or even talk. He was also featured in the film, but he died two weeks after the film’s shoot wrapped.