Your First Look at Jammal Ibrahim Short Film “Pause”

The COVID-19 pandemic has mandated a globally unprecedented “Pause“. With prevention being the best approach for nipping this deadly virus in the bud, terms such as ‘social distancing’, ‘self-isolation’, and ‘quarantine’ have left indelible mental marks.

The short film is inspired greatly by the coronavirus that has brought the world to a halt. The story circumscribes man and his selfish ways in relation to nature and time. “Pause” is a four-minute short film written, directed and produced by Jammal Ibrahim and narrated by Wana Udobang.

Jammal Ibrahim recently gained recognition following the release of the award-winning films, Nodash Adejuyigbe’s “The Delivery Boy“ and Abba Makama’s “Green White Green“ both available on Netflix & Amazon Prime.

Talking about the short film, he says:

I arrived in Dakar, Senegal in March 2020, just before Nigeria closed her international borders. A trip which was meant to last only a few days but is still ongoing with no current foreseeable end date. Each passing day sees me hankering for feedback from the Nigerian Aviation sector.

As a people we are in a rat race, so frenetic, striving to attain a level of fruition. A multitude spinning on wheels like hamsters in a cage but never getting anywhere. At a time like this when there is a pause, what do you do with what you have left? What does it mean when the chase has to stop?

In these 4 months, I have experienced a whirlwind of emotions. More often than not I have felt flustered, been jaded by the repetitive routines and these four walls that contain me. I was eager to do something different, yearning to create but I was lacking drive and enthusiasm. However, great minds have pointed out that sometimes conscientiousness and creativity requires prodding and this was what I was going to do.

Whilst working with the Francophones, each day on set was a perpetual game of charades. The chaos of budgeting, auditioning and the whole selection criteria process reignited my passion. However, amidst all these familiar feelings was the key driving factor – the delivery of the message – my personal conviction of this pandemic abstractly delivered by reflecting man’s daily battle with nature.

I powered through and began writing the script for “Pause”. We have been forced to take a breather, therefore, I give you PAUSE. A gift from me to you.

Synopsis

The prevalent selfish nature of man is showcased recurrently in many regards. However, time is that factor that constantly humbles man. Horology has proven the dominance of the concept of time over man. This pressure exerted by time forces man to expedite the self-discovery process, thereby leading to a daily battle with nature. The foresight is lost in man’s selfish pursuit – losing the essence of the value and serenity of nature.

Watch the short film below: