Victor Ugoo Njoku
Production
Biography
Victor Ugoo Njoku is a German-based Nigerian filmmaker. He was a line producer and subtitle supervisor on Yahoo+ (Netflix) and a production consultant and subtitle editor on ỤNỌ (Theatre Released). He used to run a self-named blog where he wrote short stories, interviewed young Nigerian entrepreneurs, wrote about topics that interested him and did a series on the experience of effeminate men in Nigeria. He hosts the Japa Podcast where he and the guests discuss the experiences of Nigerians in the diaspora.
Known For
This is Love tells the romance stories of 3 Nigerian LGBTQ+ couples and how they navigate romantic relationships in a conservative and hostile Nigerian environment. It is an attempt to humanize LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria by telling a story of how they find love amidst the risks and struggles. The cast includes a lesbian couple, a gay couple and a couple made up of a transman and a ciswoman. It covered conversations around acceptance, religion, health, the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA), and finding love. 2 out of the 3 couples wore masks and had their voices distorted. Aside from helping to conceal the identity of the cast, the mask and distorted voices are also symbolic of the double life LGBTQ+ Nigerians have to live for their safety and security.
This is Love
On Junior’s nineteenth birthday, his father Uzu pays a surprise visit at his department, and discovers that Junior has not only been skipping classes but also running a comics blog. Uzu gives an ultimatum between his dream or the law degree and familial support. Junior chooses the former, so Uzu sends him packing. That was the last time Junior’s family saw or heard from him.