Lande Yoosuf describes herself as an American of Nigerian origins. She is filmmaker, novelist, and cofounder of the non-profit Black Film Space. She has directed five short films, which have showcased across a vast spectrum of film festivals, including the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, Bronze Lens Film Festival, Black Girls Rock! Film Festival, and the New York African Film Festival.
Her latest work White Agbada, about a woman of Nigerian heritage considering a return to her ancestral land, premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival 2025.
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Land Yoosuf – How much of your life bled into the finished work? This definitely isn’t autobiographical, but I was in a similar slump/energy around the end of 2019. I really wanted a breakthrough and months later when I opened my life spiritually on a deeper level, I saw a lot of improvement. I also dated a guy that made me feel similar to Ibironke’s love interest around that time as well.
EL – Was it draining for Idara Victor to embody so much grief in one performance?
LY – That’s a great question. I think Idara felt deeply sympathetic to the protagonist but she was able to compartmentalise herself emotionally. I think we also spread out up the more intense times/sections of the film so she was given room to breathe from the heaviness.
EL – Is your vision of the US different to stalwarts Spike Lee and Woody Allen?
LY – Totally. I think my dual identity and exploration of a specific neighbourhood in New York City makes my work a lot different from them both. However, I deeply admire both and am a huge fan.
EL – Is it fair to say that ancestors and spirits guide the narration?
LY – Absolutely. The whole point is to highlight that our ancestors and spirit guides are with us. But we have to listen. The protagonist in White Agbada was in a deep fog so she couldn’t see herself or her circumstance clearly. And their presence had to arrive from her point of view forcefully as a result.
EL – Is the form of a short film comparable to a novella, or short story?
LY – If you had to compare its function by way of medium and format. My film could also form as Pan-A.
LY – If you had to compare its function by way of medium and format. My film could also form as a proof of concept/teaser for a longer project.
EL – Did Ryan Coogler’s work on Black Panther (2018) and Sinners (2025) open the doors for future tales about Black protagonists?
LY – I think that Ryan Coogler will always be a pioneer in film across racial lines. He allows us to see big concepts from a new, long overdue perspective. His work pushes me to take more risk, and to not just make work that would be expected of me because I am a Black artists. His perspective is very Pan African as well – he really does his homework to make specific references and that’s also another thing I want to continuously master in my work.
EL – You’ve hinted that White Agbada will be fleshed into a feature work. What are some of the differences between the two formats?
LY – Well this film would ideally be a sequence in the feature film and we will have locations/neighborhoods, etc play a much larger role in the longer story.
EL – Is it common for people in the United States to balance two completely different personalities?
LY – I’m not sure I would call it personalities more so than I would call it two avenues of identity that create a new identity. There’s always a pressure to choose one, but the reality is that I am both Nigerian AND from the United States. I’m essentially an American of Nigerian descent. The blend of the two is my personality.
EL – Do you think that White Agbada play differently in Europe than in the US?
LY – I don’t know yet because I haven’t screened in Europe, but I hope that audiences love the project and spread the word, regardless of where it screens. I have pondered on the fact that most Blacks in Europe are first generation like myself, so there may be a more intense connection to the material. I really want this film to soar globally, so I’ll be happy with it spreading far and wide.
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Lande Yoosuf is pictured at the top of this article. Te other image is a still from White Agbada.
