Fri, Feb. 19 @ 4:30PM

Sun, Feb. 21 @ 5:00PM

ARUGBA

In “Arugba,” the latest film from leading Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani, the king of a small town in south-western Nigeria makes much publicized statements against corruption while instituting economic reforms and embracing foreign investors. But the reforms don’t appear to be trickling down to the people and the king trusts no one and has a weakness for women, which compromises his leadership. Meanwhile, preparations are being made for a traditional ritual in which a young virgin – the arugba – carries a sacrificial calabash. With superb performances from Awoyemi and some of Nigeria’s leading actors, “Arugba” is a beautifully executed film which functions as an allegory for contemporary Nigeria. Set against the backdrop of a corrupt society seeking cleansing, rebirth and nationhood, with all its attendant intrigues, the film intimately presents a world in which modernity and tradition exist alongside each other but seldom in equilibrium. By Tunde Kelani, Nigeria, 97min, 2008, Yoruba with English subtitles.