From the opening scene ofPerfect Woman, the short film co-written and directed by Miracle Blaise, a simple yet powerful message is clear: joy is possible anywhere. From the lively voice of a popular radio host blaring from a car's radio to a short dance break in a bathroom stall. The film's core purpose is to sensitize people to cervical cancer and its current state in Nigeria, which is transformed into a powerful artistic statement that informs and excites.
Like some of the best information-driven visual projects, a la MTV Shuga, the hit show focused on HIV and safe-sex sensitization, Perfect Woman draws a complete, nuanced portrait of the women at the heart of a disease that isn't often spoken about. By making them complicated and giving them storylines that move the plot forward intelligently, we can draw plausible anecdotes from their lives and see how a disease affects women of various backgrounds, regardless of their level of access to knowledge and healthcare.
For director Miracle Blaise, humanizing these characters was essential rather than depicting them as mere situational illustrations to tell the story effectively. "What sets us apart from everything else as humans is feelings. Emotions are the colors we paint in, and the world is a bare canvas," Miracle Blaise tells OkayAfrica. "It is important to leave my viewers in the most vibrant area of their nature - feeling. Every project, for me, is an opportunity to explore new or barely shown emotional ranges. It is the essence of telling the story. Painting the emotions, whether it's joy or sadness."
Photo courtesy of Rise in Light.
Nollywood veteran Tina Mba brought her star power and a gentle, moving calmness to her role in Perfect Woman.
Plot-wise, Perfect Woman follows the lives of two women from vastly different economic backgrounds who are dealing with cervical cancer. Their stories intersect in how, despite their differences, they can be there for each other while finding ways to build joy and community. The film does a great job of dispelling notions of who can be affected by cervical cancer or at what stage in life it can occur while emphasizing how a strong community could change how people go through the experience. "We have to have faith that even in these situations, there are glimpses of lights that come out, and we wanted to express that," Amarachi Nwosu, the co-writer and producer, says.
Changing the tone
According to a2023 report from the HPV information center, 12,075 women in Nigeria are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year. From that number, 7,968 died from the disease. These figures explain why cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer diagnosis amongst women in Nigeria.
For Nwosu, the film's core message connected with her on a personal level. "My mom is a breast cancer survivor, and so cancer has been very intimate in that sense, she says. "One of my great mentors passed away from cancer. There's just been so many stories around cancer personally, and it's like, why is this so prevalent? So, there can be this deep frustration around the lack of awareness about it."
Photo courtesy of Rise in Light.
Perfect Woman hopes to open conversations around cervical cancer and how it can affect anyone.
Nwosu saw the project as a chance to amplify further the availability of HPV vaccines for people aged nine to 14, which prevent cervical cancer. "A call to action and a call to move and act now is critical because thousands of women are dying from cervical cancer every year in Nigeria," Nwosu says.
Perfect Woman stars a host of emerging and established talents, most notably Nollywood veteran Tina Mba, a fact Blaise describes as the highlight of working on the project. "She was easy to work with from communication to her performance," Blaise says. "Her colorful presence on set was very notable. Her relationship with both cast and crew gave us room to function at our best. Working with her was a memorable experience. A lot of kindness happened on her back."A different pace
The subversive approach of prioritizing joy while addressing a gloomy topic is only one of the many ways the filmmakers behind Perfect Woman aimed to be different. The location where the project was filmed was Akwa Ibom. "I am an Akwa Ibom Filmmaker whose dream is to create breakaway stories, and for me, a good breakaway story would be making films like this possible in our region, away from Lagos, the hub of excellence, for a change," Blaise says. "Making Perfect Woman in Akwa Ibom was an important step towards an active film region with a growing capacity to pioneer good storytelling on national and world stage. I believe the vision has set sail from here and will find its mark soon," he adds.
Photo courtesy of Favour Mark.
Director and co-writer Miracle Blaise also wrote original songs for the film.
Nwosu, who has created a range of documentaries, including the critically acclaimed The Ones Who Keep Walking, says the filming experience was transformative and eye-opening about the potential of Nigerian filmmaking talents. "It shaped me so much, especially the process of finding the right story and filmmaker to work with. I usually produce and direct my film as a producer, so opening this door for somebody else ignited a spark in me."
The hope for the filmmakers is that more people will see themselves in the characters of Perfect Woman and that conversations around cervical cancer can happen with candor and communal support. "We should have these conversations no matter what background you come from or where you live," Nwosu says. "One key thing is your zip code should not be a death sentence."- Opinion: How Trump's WHO Withdrawal Plan Threatens Africa's Healthcare Support ›
- What It’s Like To…Be A Healthcare Worker in Sudan Right Now ›
- Meet Nigeria’s All-Female Bikers Club, Featured In Darey's Latest Video ›