Riveting River Entertainment

Synopsis

Be careful what you wish for

In Nigeria, 16-year-old Minika has a natural ability to dance to the native drums of Africa. She and her younger sister are raised by their overbearing Aunt, who forces them to work as street vendors. The two girls encounter a dance group preparing for “Carnival,” and Minika joins in. Dance leader Eyo invites Minika to join the group.

In Rio de Janeiro, dance company owner Carlos takes his entire troupe to Nigeria to join Eyo’s dance team. Carlos is impressed with Minika’s talent and invites her to move to Rio so the world can enjoy her dancing. He lavishes her with expensive gifts and convinces her to leave Nigeria.

Arriving in Rio, Carlos gags Minika, and she passes out. She is alone in a small cell when she awakes and can hear other girls through the walls.

Back in Calabar, Eyo launches an investigation as to Asari’s whereabouts and travels to Brazil.

Three months later, Minika and some of the other girls have been sold to a wealthy drug lord, Dario, in his well-guarded compound in Caracas. Dario plans his 60th birthday party for four hundred guests, including Carlos’ dance troupe from Brazil. Eyo travels to Brazil to confront Carlos but Carlos has left for Caracas. Eyo schemes to go to Caracas to free Asari and the other girls.

In Caracas, Eyo learns that the whole town loathes and fears Dario, but with some convincing, they will help free the enslaved girls. At the party, Eyo spikes the cigars with Nigerian Dream Root extract that causes hallucinations. Monika is forced to dance for the guests, not knowing that Eyo is there. When she begins her dance, the dream root takes effect on Dario and the other many hombres in the room. During her dance, an older woman emerges from the kitchen at the sound of the drums. It is her long-lost mother.

Explosions rock the fortress from outside. Fires ignite inside the compound. Four hundred guests panic and try to escape the compound at once. Fights ensue. Minika’s mother with the headmistress. Carlos with his girlfriend. Eyo with Carlos. In the chaos, Minika finds her mother. Eyo grabs them both, and they head for the kitchen as an escape. Dario, now very drugged, stands with a gun at the exit.

One of the local enslaved girls stabs him in the back as he fires at Minika. Eyo dives and takes the bullet in his arm. Carlos escapes in the chaos. They flee as the mansion goes up in flames. Minika, her mother, and Eyo return to Calabar, to her Aunt’s house only to find that Carlos was just there and he has now taken her little sister.