Babatunde Apalowo’s directorial, All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (2023), is geared toward a psychological journey its protagonist, Bambino (Tope Tedela), undertakes. He is very hemmed in as an individual, unwilling to really let anyone in. Working as a delivery guy in the metropolis of Lagos, despite offering generous help to his neighbors, bailing them out in tough circumstances by paying an electricity bill or ready cash, he himself resists allowing them into his intimate confidence. Once he is home from work, he retreats into his own shell. He helps people around but never asks for any favor in return or any rewarded appreciation for his efforts.
There’s the neighbor’s daughter, Ifeyinwa (Martha Ehinome), who tries to spark his romantic interest, but Bambino stays almost impassive beyond being friendly. There’s little reciprocation she receives from him. When out on delivery, Bambino comes across Bawa (Riyo David), who runs a betting shop. Bawa asks him if he could pose with his helmet on. We learn that Bawa is keen on joining a studio and, therefore, applying to photography competitions with his work—the two strike up a tentative relationship.
Bawa leads most of it, but Bambino hesitates to jump in. As they set out on expeditions into Lagos’ corners for Bawa’s photographs, Bambino became his muse and model. But Bambino is racked by denial and repression. He is deeply apprehensive of this developing relationship, trying to stifle any whir of desire or the impulse to gravitate more intensely toward Bawa. Bambino is baffled and overwhelmed by what he feels and strains to bury the rush of attraction and the anchoring force Bawa is able to bring. Moreover, he counters this by attempting to force a sexual connection with Ifeyinwa despite no pull towards her.
A still from All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (2023)Bambino’s misplacing of desire and attraction, his coercion of those two onto someone he hardly feels anything but, forms the inner conundrum of the film. Bambino constantly seeks to apply a heteronormative erasure and invalidation of his queer self. There is the sense of churning he experiences, which throws everything he knows and feels into a sharp tumult. He struggles to get past the profound disorientation, grappling with negating his growing tug towards Bawa by sexually reconnecting with Ifeyinwa.
These scenes between Bambino and Ifeyinwa are suffused with tragic determination to desperately try to make a relationship work. Bambino’s repression is a hovering presence, overriding every interaction with Bawa. When Bawa makes gestures of bringing him presents, Bambino instantly distances himself, rejecting any further ramifications. Tedela and Ehinome handle these scenes with exquisite nuances. Tedela holds the entire film together with a performance rich in controlled, tightly hidden anguish. So much hope, longing, and a stab of shame – all blended into his performance.
However, the film’s score has strains of repetitiveness that considerably dampen its emotional edges. Even though Bawa gets a bit of short shrift, his character feels lightly etched when contrasted, especially with Bambino and his inner wrestling. But Tedela is so terrific he wholly grounds the film. This film is also about negotiating changing relationships, confronting and accepting the truth about them. Apalowo’s grip over this is gentle and delicate, orchestrating a quietly crushing concluding moment that regains the viewer’s complete faith after some shaky ground.
All the Colours of the World are between Black and White, screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival 2023.
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (2023) Movie Links: IMDb, Wikipedia, Rotten Tomatoes
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (2023) Movie Cast: Tope Tedela, Riyo David, Martha Ehinome Orhiere, Uchechika Elumelu
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (2023) Movie Genre: Drama/Lgbtq+, Runtime: 1h 32m
