"Tì ẹ ńbọ̀" Provides a Brief Glimpse into the Pains of Forbidden Love [#TAFM24]
It is a brief yet impactful exploration of forbidden love that deserves more time to shine.
Tì ẹ ńbọ̀ is a short film, about 5 minutes long, directed by Chinazaekpere Chukwu. It was screened at The Annual Film Mischief 2024.
Tì ẹ ńbọ̀ opens with a bloodied young man named Feranmi, whose distressing appearance immediately sets the tone for the narrative.
At 19, Feranmi (Nonso Ekemezie) is grappling with his feelings for his friend Tolulope (Chinedu Grey), and finds himself in a painful struggle as his family becomes aware of his taboo emotions. His father (Brutus Richard), staunchly opposed to his son’s identity, resorts to extreme measures to force Feranmi back into what he perceives as normal. This dynamic starkly reflects the harsh realities faced by those who defy societal norms regarding love and identity.
Feranmi’s family tries various methods to "correct" him and restore what they believe is normalcy, including hiring a prostitute, and when that fails, attempting to "beat the gay away." One of the most striking scenes takes place on a beach, where Feranmi undergoes a brutal form of conversion therapy. His head is forcibly dunked underwater multiple times by an army of prophets. These harrowing imageries serve as a potent metaphor for the futility and harm of trying to alter one’s identity through force or coercion. Though brief, the scenes powerfully convey that one cannot simply pray away or suppress their true feelings. The end of the film underscores the emotional and psychological toll of such practices, reinforcing the film's poignant assertion: acceptance, rather than coercion, is essential for personal well-being.
While Tì ẹ ńbọ̀ introduces a beautifully crafted and compelling world, its short runtime of just five minutes feels insufficient for the depth of the story it seeks to convey. A narrative of this nature needs room to breathe, and the hurried pacing prevents it from fully exploring the emotional depth of its characters. Confronting such heavy subject matter requires more time for nuance, but the story is abruptly cut off just as it begins to grow lingering roots in the viewer.
Tì ẹ ńbọ̀ feels like a concept with immense potential yet to be fully realized. If this short serves as a proof of concept, then the promise of what it could become with more time and development is clear. I find myself hopeful for what writer-director Chinazaekpere Chukwu and producer Bolaji Gelax might achieve with this powerful narrative in the future.
