Tiwa Savage premieres first film, ‘Water and Garri’ on Prime Video

Streaming giant Prime Video has launched Tiwa Savage’s new movie titled, ‘Water and Garri’, exclusively in more than 240 countries today.

The premiere of the film was held Thursday in Lagos, led by Tiwa Savage and the cast of the movie.

During the media parley attended by Per Second News, Tiwa and the cast took turns to narrate their experiences and roles in the film.

When asked about the inspiration behind the film, Tiwa Savage said she wants to inspire and encourage people with her debut ‘Garri and Water’ movie to try their hands at different endeavours and execute them excellently.

She emphasized that acting had always been her first love and that the project was an encouragement to show that it was possible to do multiple things well.

She also praised her team, cast, and film crew for making her acting debut very easy.

Speaking about her summary of the movie, “It was quite an interesting time. I am lucky to have had the support of the fantastic cast and crew that were part of the project ‘Water and Garri’. I got the script, and I was like, ‘This is amazing. Let’s do a short film. We started shooting it, and it ended up being a full feature.

“And so I couldn’t change the name. It felt like there was nothing else that fit. ‘Water to Garri’ is like love to pain, and that resonates a lot in the movie. Now the EP is a stand-alone project, and we have a completely new soundtrack for the movie. We have also independently released the 10-song soundtrack for the movie.

“Life is never black and white. There are ups and downs. Water and Garri has a global message, and it has resonated with both African Americans and people who are not of African descent. Do not be afraid to pursue your dream.

“Where Aisha’s coming from, you would never imagine that she could be anything. But she ended up being very successful as a fashion designer, but then she still went back home.

“So, I think the film can encourage anyone. I don’t care if you’re from the slums; all it takes is just that dream, and it definitely can happen. Whatever you put out, what you speak with your tongue, it has to—it will come back.”

The executive producer, Vanessa Ogbonna, also shared Savage’s thoughts on excellence, as she pointed to the power of the female characters to navigate life as the most fascinating part of the movie for her.

Apart from being a go-to music video veteran, the director of ‘Water and Garri’, Meji Alabi, also shared his thoughts on why he decided to shoot it as his first film.

Alabi said:“When we were creating it (Water and Garri), we weren’t thinking about balance. We were thinking about telling the story in an exciting and relatable way. I am happy with what we have been able to achieve, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

The executive director, Jimi Adesanya, recognized the movie’s cast for being supportive of each other and bringing the drama to life, and Savage for her financial investments and the significance of shooting the movie at Cape Coast, Ghana.

Adesanya noted that the fictional setting of the movie is a representation of West African unity.

While addressing the location, Adesanya said:“That was a beautiful way for us to make our mark: the Cape Coast, which also signifies the door of no return—some of our black brothers and sisters were taken away from us to another part of the world many decades ago.”

The office of Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, also supported the premiere.

In an address by the Special Assistant to the President on Digital and Creative Economy, Fegho Umunubo, expressed the federal government’s support for the ‘Water and Garri’ premiere is evidence of its show of support for the creative industry.

Umunubo said: “Tiwa Savage has committed a lot to the creative industry. We saw the need to support her, knowing how much it takes to move from music to film.”

Umunubo also revealed that the government has secured N5 billion in partnership with Providus Bank to support creatives in the movie industry who will apply and receive the money without collateral.

At the event, Ayo Adeagbo, Special Assistant to the President on Arts, Culture, and Digital Economy, stressed that the current government’s support for the creative industry is in policy-making, including a task force to tackle piracy.

The ‘Water and Garri’ movie tells the story of Aisha (Savage), an ambitious fashion designer, as she returns to her native home after 10 years away in the United States, following a family bereavement.

At home, things have changed—violence has escalated, and tensions have been high.

As she reconnects with family, old friends, and her past love, she must learn to live with her scars and confront the guilt she left behind.

It also stars Andrew Bunting (as Kay), Mike Afolarin (as Mide), and Jemima Osunde (as Stephany).