The New Normal and Gendered Violence in Nigerian Film Space

Arguably, film is the most magical form of storytelling. It is that genre that is most similar to our dreams; a place where a lot of possibilities abound. In the case of Nigerian films, there is little or no holding back as creativity and imagination are often interlaced with biased and unbiased social constructs. This study considers ‘New Normal’ as the current thematic preoccupation of Nigerian films to trivialise women’s rights and promote abuses. This phenomenon is contextualised as intrusive narratives which are now present as a discomforting trope underscored by subtle and at times brash episodes in Nigerian films. Based on the theoretical framework of symbolic annihilation and objectification, salient mentions of existing (or comparative) thoughts on gender, violence and filmic presence are examined. These contentions are justified through content analysis with the adoption of coding schemes that frame the forms and results of violence in the films studied. It avers Nigerian film space as a gendered platform that inspires flights of fancy, violence, sexual depravity and mental grossness through its treatment of violence related subjects. It concludes that Nigerian films promote an inconspicuous attitude where the interest of the man often defines the destiny and functionality of the woman.

Keywords: film, gender, masculinism, sexism, violence