Shine Your Eyes 2020

Amadi, a talented musician hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, journeys to São Paulo, Brazil, driven by an urgent mission: to find his estranged brother, Ikenna Igbomaeze, who has severed all connections with their family, becoming, as the Igbo would phrase it, “lost in transition.” Unlike Ikenna, whose life is marked by ambition and purpose, Amadi has always embraced a more carefree and easygoing approach to life. Now, however, he feels the weight of familial expectations heavily upon him, particularly the fear that if Ikenna remains untraceable, he will be thrust into the elder brother role, along with the responsibilities that accompany it.

As he explores the vibrant yet daunting urban landscape of Brazil, Amadi follows the faint traces left by his brother, gradually uncovering the truth about Ikenna. Contrary to the esteemed Mathematics professor he was once believed to be, Ikenna has crafted a convoluted web of dubious schemes aimed at amassing wealth, including a bizarre obsession with uncovering the statistical secrets of horse-race gambling. With each step he takes, Amadi finds himself tantalizingly close to his brother yet always just out of reach, navigating through an increasingly menacing underworld that hints at Ikenna’s troubled existence.

Amadi’s captivating expedition is further complicated by his encounters with Emilia Nascimento, Ikenna’s Brazilian ex-lover, whose presence sparks a conflict within him. She becomes a compelling distraction, tempting him to reconsider his commitments and explore the alluring opportunities this foreign land might offer. Ultimately, when Amadi is faced with a real chance to reunite with his disillusioned brother, he must grapple with a pivotal decision: uphold his loyalty to his family back home or embrace the possibility of a wholly new life in São Paulo, full of uncertainty and allure. As his emotional journey unfolds, Amadi’s internal struggle becomes a poignant reflection on family, responsibility, and the search for belonging.