Dolapo Is Fine

Greetings again from the darkness. How much of one's self should be sacrificed or compromised to chase dreams? Dolapo is a Nigerian native attending a posh boarding school in the UK. She wants to pursue a "good" position in Finance at a top-notch firm in the city. Since she knows little of that world, she meets with a mentor for guidance.

Daisy (Joan Iyiola, also the film's co-writer) is a hardcore mentor. She advises Dolapo (Doyin Ajiboye) to change her afro hairstyle, improve her clothes, rehearse better interview answers, and even change her name. Daisy calls this "assimilation" and positions these changes as matter-of-fact necessities. Dolapo is frustrated, yet puts forth the effort.

Director Ethosheeia Hylton and co-writers Joan Iyiola and Chibundu Onuzo serve up a 15 minute short film that touches on stereotypes and identity, as well as 'no-harm-meant' racism by even the closest of friends. How do we hold on to who we are at a time when the world is telling us we need to "fit in"? The film is well made and Ms. Ajiboye delivers a nice performance in this film sure to spur conversation and debate.

More than wonderful movie ! This movie has a great story, excellent acting, beautiful direction and pleasant plot . Thanks alot .

Contrary to what the other reviewer says: I care. This film isnt just about a girl deciding between different hair styles, in fact it's more than that. Dolapo is told that in order to succeed in her dream profession its "assimilation first" she must get rid of her afro and use a whiter sounding name. Yet when Dolapo tries to conform, using the name Dolly and buying herself a wig we find that her character is becoming more uncomfortable with the idea of conformation to the white-centric workplace. The film wants you empathise for the character as you want her to succeed but not at the cost at her own identity and in my opinion it succeeds in doing so, and especially thanks to Dojin Ajiboye's acting.

In the end she must choose whether to follow the advice she was given by Daisy and conform or decide to stand out from the crowd and show off her true hair and heritage. This film is a very sweet and honest film with a lesson about identity at the heart of it. I would definitely recommend watching it and I'm excited to see more from the people involved!

First of all we were happy to have this film at our Festival of family and children's films Zero Plus (Russia)!

It's really an inspiring story especially for growing children who need to be encouraged to be themselves!

It's safe to say that self-identification as a subject is a cornerstone of every piece of art. Nearly all stories in the world tell us about a protagonist who's eager to know who he/ she really is. Some heroes begin their seeking with deeds, others - with failures, some even try to dissociate themselves from everything and see themselves in solitude. One way or the other, this journey of self-exploration requires certain moral efforts.

Short live-action film "Dolapo is fine" by Ethosheia Hylton speculates on topic of true and false, basing the story on the smallest semantic unit - a name. Our name acknowledges our being, we're named so we exist. Thus, it's painful to see the main character being discriminated against in this basic right.

Ethosheia Hylton looks at the problem of social adaptation through magnifying glass and shows us how something unique transforms into "convenient", ethnic into global.

Young African girl named Dolapo is invited to a job interview. But the interviewer thinks that her name is too ethnic and hardly pronounceable, her hair is too fluffy, - and they will make it difficult for Dolapo to be accepted at work. This is how Dolapo becomes "Dolly" with totally new "convenient" look..

On the way to her true self Dolly-Dolapo faces harshness, lack of understanding, insecurity, mocking.. Until one day she meets another girl, magically appeared from a bad joke about a wig. And this encounter will give her speech and power of being herself. Dolapo is fine indeed!

Wonderful short, well cast and well acted. I could have watched a full length movie with these characters.