During the first Nigerian Independence Day on 1 October 1960 and concluded at the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970. The film is interspersed with archival stock footage of television news broadcasts of political events in Nigeria.
After completing their university education in the United Kingdom and United States, twin sisters Olanna and Kainene return to Nigeria. Their father is the Igbo Chief Ozobia, a wealthy businessman who owns assets in Port Harcourt. Spurning an offer to marry Finance Minister Festus Okotie-Eboh, Olanna decides to move in with her lover, the "revolutionary professor" Odenigbo, who teaches at the university in the Nigerian city of Nsukka. Meanwhile, Kainene takes over the family interests and pursues a career as a businesswoman, falling in love with Richard Churchill, an English writer.
At Nsukka University, Olanna finds work as a sociology lecturer and befriends Odenigbo's houseboy, Ugwu. However, Olanna faces hostility from Odenigbo's mother, "Mama" who distrusts the highly educated Olanna and considers her a witch. Disapproving of her son's relationship with Olanna, "Mama" plies Odenigbo with alcohol and arranges for her servant Amala to have a one-night stand with him. A devastated Olanna wants to break off the relationship, but her Aunt Ifeka convinces her to return to Nsukka.
Despite having a one-night stand with Richard, Olanna and Odenigbo reconcile and agree to raise Amala's infant daughter as their own child. The child is named Chiamaka, but they call her "Baby." After falling out with Kainene, Richard returns to London. While waiting at the airport, he witnesses Northern Nigerian soldiers slaughtering Igbo civilians in the build-up to the Nigerian Civil War. Meanwhile, Olanna is caught up in a race riot and barely escapes with her life. As ethnic tensions build up, Olanna and her family flee Kano and resettle in Abba in Biafra. After reconciling with "Mama", Olanna decides to remain in Nigeria and marry Odenigbo.
While Biafra declares independence, Richard returns from London to work with his lover Kainene, who has become a war profiteer, importing arms to Biafra. The fighting forces Olanna and her family to evacuate to Umuahia. During the wedding reception, Olanna and her family narrowly escape a Nigerian bombing raid. As the civil war drags on, Olanna and her family relocate to a refugee camp where she reunites with her sister Kainene, who has experienced a change of heart and helps to run the refugee camp. Ugwu is later conscripted as a Biafran child soldier.
As time passes by, Olanna and Odenigbo befriend Kainene and Richard. With the refugee camp running low on supplies due to the civil war, Kainene decides to travel into Nigerian territory in order to trade with local peasants despite Odenigbo's warnings. Several days pass by, and Kainene fails to return. While Olanna and Richard fail to find Kainene, they are relieved to learn that Ugwu has survived the war and welcome him back to the family. Following the defeat of Biafra, Richard continues his search for Kainene while Olanna, Odenigbo, Ugwu, and "Baby" rebuild their lives.
Chiwetel Ejiofor as Odenigbo: A politically motivated academic.[8] Odenigbo is in love with Olanna, whom he lives with in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His mother opposes his relationship and gets him drunk. He gets into a secret affair with Amala, a village girl, and she eventually births a baby girl. Olanna decides to break up with him but changes her mind following an advice from her aunt Ifeka. Both reconciles and trains the child Chimamaka wh they fondly call "Baby".[9] Odenigbo is the master of Ugwu, who becomes part of the Biafran Army. Odenigbo reunites with him as well as his wife and child.[10] Playing the character was the first time Ejiofor worked in Nigeria. He cites playing the role because of his love for Adichie's book as well as seeing both his parents and grandparents experience similar things as was depicted in the novel. He describes the character as "a very flawed character who is in some ways the architect of his own demise", while citing it as "a revolutionary, a man who has incredible moral lapses in terms of his relationship, and is somebody who eventually comes to learn what all these things mean – the value of things, people, peace, the value of diplomacy and negotiation".[8][11][12]
[20][21]Half of a Yellow Sun was shot across five weeks in Tinapa Studio, Calabar and Creek Town, Nigeria.[22] Bandele lists malaria and typhoid as two of the major challenges of the shoot, with several members of the cast and crew becoming ill, including star Thandiwe Newton.[23]
Half of a Yellow Sun received a mixed reception from critics. It currently has a 51% aggregate rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 53 reviews, with a 5.53 out of 10 average score. The site's consensus states: "While it doesn't quite do justice to the source material, Half of a Yellow Sun adapts Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel with committed performances and narrative nuance".[37] Leslie Felperin of The Hollywood Reporter writes that it "is the kind of ambitious literary adaptation that wants it all kinds of ways, not all of them compatible" and that "the script is studded with great leaden lumps of expository dialogue".[38]Nollywood Reinvented says the film is nowhere as good as the book but points out that "Even though the movie does not recreate the emotions of the book, it creates its own emotions". It also says that "The movie builds on amazing sets, actors, supporting actors, and music", but the characters lack depth.[39] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave Half of a Yellow Sun 2 out of 5 stars, also commenting that "there is a heartfelt quality" but that "unfortunately, the film is often stately and sluggish with some very daytime-soapy moments of emotional revelation. At other times, it looks more like a filmed theatrical piece".[40] Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times gives the film 50 out of 100 in Metatcritc. He said the film that "certainly makes for an honorably propulsive wartime soap", and "It's just not stirring enough as historical drama."[41]
Adichie was happy about the final product of the film, as she thought it was beautiful and very well done. She also said the acting was very good, and she loved the fact that it was filmed in Nigeria, which was her only requirement.[42]
Nigeria's film board delayed the release of Half of a Yellow Sun in the country. Journalist Aliyu Tanko of BBC Hausa argues that the Biafran War, one of the major topic depicted by the film remains extremely sensitive in the country. Although the director has cited knowing no knowledge of the delayed certification, Tanko says "some fear the film, which is seen as sympathetic to the Biafran separatist cause, could stoke up ethnic tensions".[72][73][74][75][76][77]
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