Technical glitches disrupt premiere of Yoruba film Asiri Ilu Awon Osu

By Anthonia Okonkwo –

Technical issues disrupted the global premiere of the Yoruba-language film Asiri Ilu Awon Osu (Mystery of Osu Land), with viewers reporting difficulties accessing the production online.

The film premiered globally on Monday, but some viewers encountered problems registering on the streaming platform, logging into their accounts and completing payments to watch the production.

Some viewers who had already paid for access also reportedly experienced difficulties streaming the film, prompting complaints from audiences who had anticipated its premiere.

In response, the production team, Mysterious Tech Studio, apologised to affected viewers and said efforts were underway to resolve the technical problems with the streaming platform.

Despite the disruption, the premiere has drawn attention to the growing use of artificial intelligence in African film production, particularly in the creation of visual content and other elements of filmmaking.

According to the filmmakers, about 80 per cent of the film’s visuals were generated or assisted by artificial intelligence, while the remaining 20 per cent involved live-action performances and human direction.

The production team has described Asiri Ilu Awon Osu as the world’s first Yoruba photorealistic AI feature film, placing the production at the intersection of emerging AI technology and Yoruba-language cinema.

However, the streaming difficulties created an unexpected setback for viewers who had hoped to watch the film at its global launch.