TVCE MOVIE – Producer and maker of the controversial film ’93 days’ Steve Gukas has described as false and malicious, the allegation by one Dr Anna Adadevoh that 93 Days, a film on the deadly Ebola virus, is a misrepresentation of facts.
Gukas who said the claims were a calculated attempt to sabotage the film, maintained that “93 Days is not the biopic of anyone individual and has never claimed to be the story of Doctor Stella Adadevoh.”
Anna Adadevoh had in a letter dated January 3, 2016, on behalf of the Cardoso and Adadevoh families said they are distancing themselves from the movie purportedly dedicated to late Dr.Ameyo, as it is a misrepresentation of the sacrifice the late Dr Adadevoh paid with her life. They also frowned against the producer’s going into the personal medical file of the deceased doctor.
But Gukas maintained that contrary to the allegations by Dr Anna Adadevoh, his production company had enlisted the help of the Adadevoh and Cardoso families from day one.
“They gave their comments on the script and their amendments were incorporated into the final script. Further, the late Stella Adadevoh’s son, Bankole Cardoso, consented to the making of the film and to being portrayed in the film. Not only did he consent, he was kind enough to provide us with information concerning his late mother’s actions during those trying times. The facts provided by him proved useful in the development of the script and we have his interview on film should anyone require further proof. In essence, the story of Dr Stella Adadevoh depicted in the film was obtained partly from facts provided to us by the Adadevoh and Cardoso families and more importantly by her son, Bankole Cardoso.”
According to the filmmaker, his company does not require anyone’s consent to make the film since it has a constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of speech and expression.
“For us, this presented a more universal story of human courage, dedication and sacrifice that may inspire our great country and its people. Ours is a pride story that shows Nigeria at one of its finest hours and casts our country in a positive light around the world. To ensure the universal appeal of the film, we enlisted, at great cost, Nigerian and International actors to feature in the film. Amongst these were Danny Glover, Keppy Ekpeyong and Bimbo Akintola,” said the filmmaker.
Gukas also said the matters portrayed in the film were derived from facts that are well within the public domain, while others were provided by those privy to the said facts. “For instance, we obtained additional information from interviews with the survivors of those who lost loved ones, volunteer doctors and nurses as well as officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
“To honour those protagonists of the Ebola story, it was essential for us that the film be, as much as possible, an accurate, genuine and sincere record of the facts relating to the country’s efforts to fight the disease. Infact, that was the only way of doing justice to those brave individuals (and foreigners) who had given so much in the service of the country…”
He said he is aware that Dr Anna Adadevoh and others within the family are involved in another film project on the Ebola story and as such are attempting to derail 93 Days in the misguided belief that to do so would ensure the success of their film.
“It is plainly wrong for these people to try and monopolize the Ebola story exclusively for themselves by trying to prevent the making and release of a film that so many of the people concerned have supported and contributed to.
“Our film features many of the people who were in the vanguard of the fight against the terrible disease. Many of these people lost loved ones and made other sacrifices still unknown to a majority of Nigerians. They have supported the film and want their story told and it is only fair that their stories are told,” he said.
