Domitilla is a landmark film in the Nigerian home video industry. It kicked off the now-established trend of shooting films about 'single girls' and their (mis)adventures in big cities. The buzz for this film was remarkable, and the word 'Domitilla' was on everyone's lips. Everyone kept wondering what it meant, and it was cleverly used as a marketing gimmick, which made this film a blockbuster (a deserved one, though). At the time, 'Domitilla' became another word for prostitute or for a woman of loose morals.
Ann Njemanze, in the title role, gave a performance that made her an instant star. She made a few more films but doesn't seem to be interested in movie-making anymore, which is a pity. 'Domitilla' shows what she's capable of. Sandra Achums, a proved versatile actress, does well in this movie, and Zeb Ejiro, arguably Nigeria's most respected contemporary director (with the possible exception of Tade Ogidan) does excellently at the helm.
Domitilla is basically a story of what young girls get into in the quest to survive. Sometimes, they're fuelled by greed, sometimes by need, sometimes by poor company, sometimes by bad experiences ... but the bottom line is they end up doing things they shouldn't do. What are the consequences? Watch this film and find out.
