Jude Idada
Jude Idada is a Nigerian screenwriter, actor, poet, playwright and producer best known for writing the feature film, The Tenant. He has also produced and written several other short films and books.
Early life and education
Idada, a descent of Edo, was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria.Idada was a pure science student in high school without any background in the arts, he initially applied to study medicine in the university but later, he changed his course of study to agricultural economics. After a couple of semesters in agriculture, Idada quit studying agricultural economics and stayed at home for nine months after which, he got admitted to the University of Ibadan to study theater arts where he had his first degree.
Career
After graduation, Idada worked at Guardian Express Bank, a job he got while he was still a corps member after which he moved to Arthur Andersen. He immigrated to Canada, did a postgraduate and worked in banks, telecommunication firms and along that line. After seeing a short film with friends, he resigned his job to pursue writing and film production.He was selected as one of the screenwriters for the Toronto International Film Festival's Adapt This! and the Afrinolly/Ford Foundation Cinema4Change projects. Idada was also an inaugural participant in the Relativity Media/AFRIFF Filmmaking project.
He is the Artistic director of the Africa Theatre Ensemble in Toronto, Canada. Idada has stage plays, collection of short stories, poetry to his credit. Stage plays: Flood, Brixton Stories, Lost and Coma, 3some. He has also written and published a collection of short stories: A Box of Chocolates, Exotica Celestica. Written and directed Stage plays: Oduduwa – King of the Edos, By My Own Hands and a children's book Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North.
As an acting coach, Idada teaches a wide variety of thespians, the rudiments and technicalities of acting for stage and for film. He has also guest lectured for the African Theatre Ensemble in Canada, the Mofilm/Unilever Sunlight Foundation Film Project in Nigeria, the AIDS foundation in Guyana and also chaired several panels at International Film Festivals and writing for various magazines.
Filmography
Film
- Chameleon – 2016 – Writer/Director
- Blaze Up The Ghetto – 2010 – Director
- The Tenant – 2005 – Writer/Producer
- Inside – 2000 – Director/Producer
- The Woman in my Closet – – 1999 – Director/Producer
- Young Wise Fools – – 1999 – Director/Producer
Stage plays
- 3some by Idada – 2018 – Director/Producer
- Coma by Idada – 2013 – Director
- Lost by Modupe Olaogun – 2013 – Director
- Brixton Stories by Biyi Bandele – 2012 – Director
- The Flood by Femi Osofisan – 2011 – Director
- In The Name of The Father – 2008 – Writer/Director
- The Seed of Life – 2008 – Writer/Director
- Love is the Word – 2007 – Writer/Director
- Your God is Dead – 2000 – Director/Writer/Producer
- Power of Love – 1999 – Director/Writer/Producer
- Snares of Lucifer – 1998 – Director/Writer/Producer
Writing credits
Screenplays
- Simi – 2016 – For Applegazer and Karmacause Productions, producer, Udoka Oyeka
- Tatu – 2016 – For Filmhouse Productions, producer, Don Omope
- The River – 2015 – For Applegazer and Karmacause Productions, Producer Orode Uduaghan
- House Girls – 2015 – For Xandria Productions; Producers, Chineze Anyaene, Theophilus Ukpaa.
- Driving Mr Akin – 2015 – For Xandra Productions, producer, Chineze Anyaene.
- Doctor Death – 2014 – For Raconteur/Creoternity Productions, Producer Chioma Onyenwe
- The Road – 2014 – For Afrinolly/Ford Foundation
- Justice – 2014 – For Elvina Ibru Productions
- Sunshine – 2013
- Coma – 2012 – For I Take Media, Producers, Fabian Lojede, Mickey Dube
- Journeys of One – 2011 – For Omcomm Communications, Producer; Soledad Grognett
- Lagos Connection – 2011 – For 1 Take Media, Producer; Fabian Lojede
- Afreeka – 2010
- The Drum – 2010
- Sex in the Age of Innocence – 2009
- No More An Uncle Tom – 2009
- The Dilemma – 2008
- Ghetto Red Hot – 2007 –
- Mirage – 2006
- Kite – 2006 – for NTFG Productions, Producer Yifei Zhang
- The Tenant – 2005 – released 2008 by Broken Manacles Entertainment
- Somewhere in Between – 2005
- Faces of a Coin – 2004
- Inside – – 2000
- The Woman in my Closet – – 1999
- Young Wise Fools – – 1999
- Two Faces of a Coin – 1998
Stage plays
- Sankara – 2016 – Commissioned by G.R.I.P media
- MKO – 2016 – Commissioned by the MKO Abiola family
- 3some – 2016 – Optioned by Make It Happen Productions
- The March – 2016 – Optioned by Theatre Magnifica
- Resurrection – 2014 – Optioned by Oracles Repertory Theatre
- The Calling – 2013 – Commissioned by African Theatre Ensemble
- Coma – 2012 – Optioned by Oracles Repertory Theatre
- In The Name of The Father – 2008 – Performed by the Visionaries
- The Seed of Life – 2008 – Performed by the Visionaires
- Love is the Word – 2007 – Performed by the Visionaires
- Vendetta – 2006 – Optioned by the Africa Theatre Ensemble
- Oduduwa "King of the Edos" – 2005 – Performed by the Oracle Repertory Theatre
- Power of Love – 1994 – Performed by Neighbours International
- Your God is Dead – 1994 – Performed by Neighbours International
- Snares of Lucifer – 1993 – Performed by Neighbours International
Novels
- More than Comedy – 2015
- Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North – 2015- Createspace/Creoternity Books
- By My Own Hands – 2014 – Createspace/Creoternity Books
- A Box of Chocolates – 2005 – Trafford Publishing
- Boom Boom – 2019 – Winepress Publishing
Poetry
- Exotica Celestica – 2012 – Createspace/Creoternity Books
- Meditations of a Traveling Mind – 2004
- Oh My Lord! – 1992
Songs
- Firefly – 2016 – Chibie; Producer: Brian Quaye, Chibie Okoye
- Life is Sweet– 2013 – Chibie; Producer: Jeff McCulloch
- Speed Demon – 2013– Chibie; Producer: Jeff McCulloch
- Revolution – 2013 – Chibie; Producer: Soji Oyinsan
- I No Be Tenant – 2010 – Blacko Blaze ft Chibie; Producer: Blacko Blaze, Released by Broken Manacles Entertainment
Acting credits
- 8 Bars and A Clef – Dir Chioma Onyenwe – 2014
- The Tenant – Dir Lucky Ejim – 2006
- Death and the Kings Horseman – Dir Ronald Wiehs – 2004
- The Prize – Dir Lekan Fagbade – 2000
- Inside – Dir Idada – 2000
- Ezenwanyi – Dir Chetachukwu Udo – Ukpai – 1999
- The Woman in my Closet – Dir Idada – 1999
- Young Wise Fools – Dir Idada – 1999
- Doom – Dir Yacoub Adeleke – 1997
- Grip Am – Dir Dare Fasasi – 1997
- Hopes of the Living Dead – Dir Lekan Fagbade – 1998
- Queen Idia – Dir Israel Eboh −1998
- Human Zoo – Dir Dare Fasasi – 1997
- Snares of Lucifer – Dir Idada, Ifeanyi Agu – 1993, 1997
- Your God is Dead – Dir Idada – 1994
- Power of Love - Dir Idada – 1994, 1999
- Eku – Dir Wale Macaulay – 1995
- Atakiti – Dir Esikinni Olusanyin – 1995
Awards and recognition