August 21, 2025 • 51 mins
This podcast episode features a profound dialogue with Nneoha Aligwe, a multifaceted artist renowned for her contributions to photography, writing, and filmmaking, including her founding of the Africa International Horror Film Festival. At the crux of our conversation lies the exploration of self-expression through the lens of her creative journey, wherein she articulately navigates the intricacies of her artistic evolution and how her experiences inform her work. We delve into the significance of storytelling within diverse genres, particularly horror, and the necessity of fostering a rich and varied cinematic landscape in Nigeria. Furthermore, Nneoha shares insights into her recent projects, including her short film that has garnered accolades at film festivals, illuminating the intersection of personal experience and artistic expression. Our discourse not only highlights her aspirations but also emphasizes the collective endeavor to cultivate a thriving and inclusive film industry in Nigeria.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
- Nneoha recounts her early experiences with storytelling and how they shaped her desire to pursue a career in filmmaking.
- We explore the inception of the Africa International Horror Film Festival, which Nneoha founded to promote the horror genre within the African cinematic landscape.
- The conversation highlights the importance of mentorship in filmmaking and how guidance can significantly influence an artist's creative direction.
- Nneoha shares her transformative experience at Ebony Life Creative Academy, which shifted her perspective on filmmaking from mere creation to purposeful storytelling.
Resources:
https://www.instagram.com/annfeena/
https://www.instagram.com/enyo.reflection/
https://www.instagram.com/aihfilmfest/
https://www.instagram.com/onwatalespictures/
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
https://thenaijafilmmaker.com/episode/chiomaonyenwe
https://thenaijafilmmaker.com/episode/creativeoge
https://thenaijafilmmaker.com/episode/danieloriahi
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
You're welcome
to the Naija Filmmaker, apodcast about Nigerian filmmakers.
Their films on how we canbuild a diverse and functional industry,
I'm your host Sele Got. Onthis episode. My guest is Nneoha
Aligwe. She's a photographer,writer and filmmaker. She also founded
(00:24):
Africa International HorrorFilm Festival. We talk about self
expression, her creativejourney and her festival touring
short film, Enyo(Reflections). If you're a new listener,
you're welcome and I hope youenjoy. Hi Nneoha. You're welcome
(00:45):
to the Naija Filmmaker.
Hi Sele. Thank you for having me.
All right, you're welcome.
So.
So can you introduce yourselfin your words?
My name is Nneoha Aligwe. Andintroducing myself, I think I'm just.
(01:07):
I'm just a human being justgoing through life and expressing
what I'm seeing through myworks, either writing or film or
photography. So that'sbasically who I am. Yeah.
Okay. Which one came first?Was it writing, photography, filmmaking?
(01:32):
Can you tell us how yourcreative journey started?
Okay. It started with writing.I started writing, you know, as a
child.
Yeah.
And I don't. I was justbasically writing because I. That
(01:53):
was the only way I felt peoplewould listen to what I had to say,
you know, around me. Yeah. Sothat was why I started writing. And
it was also a way to. To justhave someone to talk to as well.
To just, just. It's justbecause of, you know, like my background
and where I'm coming from. Sothat's literally why I started writing.
(02:17):
Then from there I, I got veryinterested in film because I was.
I was just that child that,you know, you know, television was
for on serious kids. So theyhad to. Yeah. So that discipline
of, you know, just trying tomake sure that we are always watching
(02:39):
either news or, or churchprograms. So films and anything entertainment
was just like, you know, weare not allowed to say it. So because.
And nobody actually explainedto me why I shouldn't watch films.
So. Yeah. And then I got.Because, like, I'm a very curious
(02:59):
person. I'm highly curious.Like, if you are not. If you don't
explain why I shouldn't dosomething, I would want to try it
and see for myself. So Istarted being very curious about
film. So whenever all theadults have all gone to bed, I would
sort of sneak out and, youknow, you know, go watch a film in
the night. So I thought, youknow, like, it really fascinated
(03:24):
me how people just like, asin. Because I usually watch the,
the end credits. And then itwas just very fascinating that all
those people actually cametogether to create a story. Because
for Me then I thought storieswas like, I had to. It's just one
person. I had to just form itbecause I'm, you know, because I'm
(03:45):
a writer. Like, like I writestories, but also having, like, you
know, a lot of people cometogether to form a story, I was very,
very fascinated, you know, bythe art form. So then I, I think
I, I. But then because of, youknow, my background, everyone does.
(04:08):
There's like a choosing partfor everybody already. So mine was
lawyer. You know, my parentswanted me to be a lawyer, which I
did. I mean. Yeah. Which Idid. Yes, yes. I went to law school.
I remember. I remember my, Iremember actually writing in my diary,
(04:30):
when I grow up, I'll be afilmmaker. No, no, not I'll be a
filmmaker. I'll make films.And I wrote that because I wanted
to. I felt like maybe any ofmy parents might see it and sort
of, they would know what Iactually want to do, because that
(04:50):
was the point where I neededto pick, like, a career, you know.
And then thankfully, my momsaw it and then showed my dad. And
my dad, you know, he, he wasvery worried. He was very worried
because he, he, you know,since I was a child, I've always
been, oh, you're going to be alawyer? Like a father, you know.
(05:13):
So I was, you know, that hasbeen the, the whole plan. And then
hearing me say that I wantedto go and make films if it felt very
like I was, I was not serious.But then he sort of, you know, also
explained to me that I shouldjust be the lawyer, right? I should
(05:35):
just, you know, be a lawyerthen. Because, like, I'm still young.
Then when I'm done with, youknow, when I'm done with school,
then I can, I can do whateverI wanted to do in my life. I said,
okay, no problem. So that washow I. I went to law school. And
then I graduated 2017, theywent to law school, Lagos. And then
(06:00):
I was called to about 2018. Sowhen I was called to that, I, I went
back home. And then I, I toldhim that I, like, I'm done with school.
I'm done with law school. Andyes, and then during my youth service,
(06:22):
I also worked in a law firm.And then, you know, I've done my
service. So really right now Iwant to, like, go pursue film. That
I already, then, then Ialready had, like, an internship
opportunity in Abuja. Soafter, I mean, like, I told him and
(06:44):
he, he was very worried aboutme, to be honest. Like, he was really,
really unworried. Because eventhen I have to remind him of the
conversation we had when I wasbefore, you know, before I got into
the university. I had toremind him of that conversation.
And he was so surprised, youknow. But he. He just told me I should.
(07:05):
I mean like, he will. He. Ithink he just wanted me to. To. To
also explore that. I mean,like. But then I don't Bl. What everybody
knows, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
What was his particular worry?
His particular worries? Thatthere is no future in it. That's
even number one. There's nofuture in it. There is no. Like financially,
(07:26):
right?
Yeah.
There is no. There is nofuture like just gonna make films
like you get. So that's wherehe's. He was coming from. He was
really, really worried that Iwouldn't be financially okay. But
then law already. He was, youknow, running a law firm and like
everything was already set forme, you know, once I finished from
(07:46):
school, I come walk. And thenalso because the profession is very
respectable, you know, being alawyer, it's like a big thing, especially
in Nigeria also that prestige.So that was where he wanted me to
be. But I was. I. I don'tthink all of that fascinated me as
(08:07):
much as making films did. So Ididn't mind. Yeah.
Okay. You finished your lawdegree, went to law school.
Yeah.
When did you make your first film?
I made my first film in 2019.Yeah, 2019. I was. Then I was. That
(08:29):
was during my youth service. Imade the. Yeah, I made a short film.
Just. Just trying things outand then I just called my friends
and then because. Because Iwas. I had to save up for the film
from my allowy and littlesalary I was earning then and then.
(08:50):
And so. So because of thefinancial constraint and also because
I really wanted to just trythings out. I. I really wanted to.
Okay. I think that was. Thatwas immediately I came out from the
first film sets that I, youknow, that I not walked in, but maybe
(09:11):
just intend for a day. Right.So then I had met a mentor. His name
is Cargo. He's acinematographer. I, like, I met him
in 2018 after my, you know,law school. I met him when I went
for a film festival and youknow, he just gave a lecture there
(09:32):
and I liked it and that washow we connected. So in 2019, when
I, you know, I moved close toLagos for my youth service, he invited
me over to a set that he wasworking in. I think the film was
Casanova. So I went to the setand that was the first time I was
actually been on a film Set,Set. And I was so blown. Like, like
(09:57):
it felt, it felt, it felt likeI was home. Like, I was like, it
felt like this is where Ineeded to be. So, you know, working
on the crew members, everyonefelt like a military zone. So I was
so super fascinated. Thenafter, after that I just, it was
just like a day I just came tosee what a film set like. So I went
(10:21):
back and then I said. And Iwanted to make a film. You know,
I never directed before. Inever gone to any film school. All
I was just doing was justresearching on YouTube and just learning
how to, how to make a film,how to direct. So, you know, I wrote
a very short film of just onecharacter, like a horror film. One
(10:43):
character, One character, onelocation, no dialogue, was to also
have a very solid story. So Iwas able to create that with my friends
because. And it was alsobecause there was. I didn't have
money to pay a lot of people,so I just had to restrict, restrict
the story like that. And it's,you know, I, I mean, like, at the
(11:06):
end of the day, I liked whatI, you know, what we created then.
So it's interesting. And thenI released the film in 2019. The.
The film is titled FacebookFriend. I released it in 2019. Then
it got into, it got into semi,semi finalist at I Am Africa short
(11:29):
Film competition. That wasDecember 2019. Yeah. So that was
when I made my first film.
Okay, and what was thelearning curve for you on that first
film? Were there things youstruggled with or you pretty much
flowed into the room?
I think was that I really,really, I mean, I can't really say
(11:51):
because like, I was workingwith my friends and they were actually
people that knew better thanme. Right. So the, so the cinematographer,
you know, was, he was, he wasalready working as a cinematographer.
Then my editor, Peter, PeterOga, he was already working as an
(12:16):
editor. So it felt like theywere also guiding me. Right. So I
think one of the things Istruggled with was working with the,
with the cinematographer. Youknow, he had like, I, I think like
it was just my first timedirecting, so we were just having
(12:37):
a lot of ideas clash. I didn'tknow I had to like even explain to
him. Like, we didn't have anypre production. We just, I just called
them on. Like I, like, I wrotethis story on, I wrote the story
on. On Monday. I was shootingon Saturday. There was no prep, nothing.
We just came to the hotel roomwith our, with our equipment. I just
(13:01):
started shooting. So there wasno direct, there was really no direction.
So it was, you know, then thatwe started, you know, putting hairs
together, so it felt likedoing pre production and production
at the same day. It was veryfunny, but it was quite fun. You
know, I learned. Yeah, I,like, I learned how to explain. Explained
(13:21):
my ideas also to the actor.Yeah, it was. It was a whole lot.
I would say I struggledfinancially. The finances, I mean,
like, I spent literallyeverything I had for. But my friends
were also willing. I thinkthe, like, the only thing I spent
was just welfare, but then theshooting and everything, they didn't
(13:44):
really collect any money fromme, so.
Yeah, because that was a goodfirst experience.
Yeah. Really?
Yeah. Nice. So you went on to,you know, study at Ebony Life Creative
Academy. How was that experience?
(14:04):
Like, I had made film. 2019,2022, I made another film, a documentary.
Those are, like, the onlyworks I did. Right. Because I wanted
to make a film. Right. Youknow, like, there's a difference
between wanting to make afilm. Like, oh, I just want to make
(14:25):
a film. And also I want to saythis thing with a film, like, they're
like, there are two differentthings. Right? Yeah. So before Ebony
Life, I was just saying, Iwant to make a film. I want to make
a film. Right. So it was justlike, I was just fascinated by the
art form. Oh, I just want tomake a film. I want just. But then
(14:46):
being at Ebony Life, and thatwas also the point I moved back to
Lagos from Abuja. So being atEbony Life and experiencing our Hod,
Daniel or I, it shifted myperspective from, I just want to
(15:07):
make a film. I just want tomake a film to what do I want to
say with a film? Yeah, so. Sofor me, everyday life was very, you
know, sort of transformed myview on the art form. Right. So that
was what, like, personally,that was. That was the journey I
(15:29):
went through in a bony life.
Okay. And I guess one thingthat happens at film schools is that
you meet colleagues and youpotentially move on to work with
them. Have you, I guess, madethe most of that since leaving film
school?
Yeah, I finished in 2023, Ithink June. Then in December. I mean,
(15:57):
like, while I was at EbonyLife, I. I had a. A short film that
I had written. Like, we evenpresented it in class. So. And then
I actually, you know, gave.Gave correction. So I went back and,
you know, worked on the film,on the script again. So what happened
at Ebony Life was as I wasthere, I was already thinking about
(16:19):
the people I would work withon the script. So it was very easy
for me to connect with, like,Minds as well. So after school in
December 2023, when I. Now,that was when I shot the film. And
the film is Annual Reflection.So I worked. Yeah. So some of the
(16:40):
actors and the. And theCourier, my colleagues from Ebony
Life.
Okay, we'll come back to Anya,but I want to talk about, you know,
when you kind of realize thekind of films you want to tell. I
mean, if somebody is lookingat your filmography, they might say,
(17:04):
you know, you love to tellhorror stories, but you also have
your documentary that is a bitdifferent. So, like, would you say
you have the kind of storiesyou want to tell? And what is that?
To be honest, before. BeforeEbony Life, I would say I want to
make horror films. Right.Yeah, before life. But after your
(17:25):
Bonnie Life, like, I realizedthere is no. There is no. Like, I
shouldn't be so boxed into onegenre. Right. Let me do that. Yeah.
So for now, no. So after ABurning Life, I don't have. I don't.
I don't have any particularstory I want to tell. So after Bonnie
(17:45):
Life, what I'm interested inright now is to express myself so
I can be feeling differentthings that I want to express. So
it's more of what I want toexpress for myself than the kind
of story I want to tell. Ijust want to tell stories that also
feel true to me and feel trueto really what I want to see as a
(18:07):
person.
Okay, so so far, what inspiresthe kind of stories you have told?
Like, what speaks to you, whathas. What has inspired you so far
in the different films youhave made?
Okay. I'm very inspired bylife. So I. For me, it's life. Like,
(18:29):
life inspires me. I like toalso throw myself into experiences.
I like to experience people,feel them deeply, you know, because
I believe there's just somuch. So much that life is the art
that we all have to tap into.So I am highly, highly inspired by
life. So all my works are justlike scribbles from my experiences,
(18:54):
my personal experiences. Yeah, yeah.
You said you like to. Yeah.Experience life. Can you tell us,
like, your top threeexperiences so far in your life that
have. I mean, if. No pressure,but you can even give one. But, like,
(19:15):
what experience do you hold sodearly that you've had so far in
your life.
Experience? I've had sodearly. So I would say, actually,
I'll say the one that I reallyhold dearly and the one that's sort
(19:35):
of altered me is my father'sdeath. Right. So my father died in
2022. And before then, I was,I was working in Abuja. I had, it
felt like film sort of. Itfelt like the financial pressure
(19:56):
from society from trying tosort bills. So I feel like, like
the pressure of that, youknow, I, like, I got caught up with
that. Yeah. So after 2020, Ihad, you know, I had not even made
any film and I was just inAbuja. I was working. I was, you
know, working freelance,freelance writing. Corporate. But
(20:18):
in the corporate. Thecorporate organization. Yeah. So
that's what I was in Abuja andI was taking care of myself. So.
So in 2022, I. I came. I cameto Lagos for a project. And then
from, you know, from Abuja.And then my dad passed. That was
(20:43):
September, so I went. When Iwent home for the burial and people
around, everybody just keptsaying, oh, that's as in because
I'm the first child and I'mthe first daughter. I'm the only
daughter. So, you know, peoplekept saying, oh, it's time to. That
I have, I mean, like I haveto, you know, come back and walk.
(21:07):
Like really work. They don'tunderstand the kind of work I'm doing,
but I have to come and startdoing something serious to take care
of my family. So thatrealization of, you know, my, my
dad being gone and so it feltlike he just woke me up on, on, on
(21:27):
what I really want to do in mylife. So when I came back from, you
know, from the burial, I, Iquit the job I was doing and then,
then I moved to Lagosimmediately. And then, you know,
registered at EBONY Life. So Ithink it was a wake up call for me.
Yeah, yeah.
(21:49):
Rest in peace. I mean, let'stalk about the scariest film you've
watched. Which one would you pick?
I think get out. Yeah.
Okay. What was scary about it?Which part particularly?
(22:12):
I think you see that party,right? Like that party when I can't
even remember his, his, hisname. But like being, I mean, like,
imagine like, like a black manbeing in the midst of white men.
And the way they were. Oh, andthe way they were all looking at
him. Like he could feel theuneasiness in the air.
(22:34):
Yeah.
So I think. Yeah, for me thatwas, that was very scary. That was
really scary. Psychologically.Not like to your face, but like that.
Just the uncertainness of whatmight happen.
Like, I could feel his. Ah,nah, you could feel for him. Yeah.
(22:58):
So I liked it. I liked it.
And how about the SunkenPlace? How did you feel about that?
Yes, that's true.
Yeah, that, I mean that,that's a Bit, a bit bleak. Like just
basically not. You can't seeanything. You're just floating and
(23:19):
you don't know if you make it out.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay. We'll talk about yourmentor. That's, and you know, working
with him as a collaborator onnu. So, you know, like how, how did
that mentorship shape you?Just before you, you know, collaborated
(23:41):
with him on nu.
I said his mentorship. Right.Even though I, I, I came to him for
mentorship in film. Right. Youknow, when film mentor or the person
is going to teach her to makea film, it wasn't like that. So his
(24:02):
own mentorship was. And I, andI think basically this is what mentorship
should be. Right? Someone thatopens your eye to life. Right. He's
not coming to teach us to be afilmmaker. He's telling, he's, he's
coming to open your eye on howyou see life. Yeah, right. Because
(24:26):
at the end of the day, the,even the kind of stories you tell,
you know, reflect how you seelife. So for me, that was, that was
what the mentorship did forme, how it transformed me. And, and
also it was, you know, likethe mentorship got much more stable
because I made him 20. Yeah,2018. Yeah, yeah, 2018. But the mentorship
(24:51):
got much more stable when Imoved back to lagos. That was 2023.
And then, you know, during myebony life journey, so it sort of
aligned. So just watching howhe, he also experiences life and
it was just always veryinteresting, you know, to just talk
(25:12):
about life and. Yeah, so itmade me wake up to life, like be
hyper aware of my experiencesand to pay attention because sometimes
we just, we just move throughlife just, you know, on autopilot.
You don't, you don't sort ofcome down to experience like whatever
(25:37):
you are doing, like do itpresently, be aware, look at people,
you know, just, and it's, andit's always so beautiful to do. It's
always so beautiful. And if itfeels, feels you up, like spiritually.
Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, so thatwas what his mentorship did for me.
(25:57):
So the film, the film I hadwritten that was after Opening Life.
So like he was the firstperson I gave the scripture with
and I, I liked, I liked, Iliked the insights that he brought
to the story because it wasabout, it was about two couples that,
(26:20):
you know, that, that go on agetaway trip and then they meet another
ghost couple. But then theydidn't, they didn't know that, you
know, they were ghosts. Andthen at the end there's a reveal
yes. You now see, but to behonest, like, the story didn't really
have that much weight. Like tojust go to the hotel and meet Ghost.
(26:44):
Like there was not much weightin the story. So over time we just
kept talking about the script.We just, you know, kept talking about
the story. The story until itfinally came together somehow. And
if, you know, it had, like hehad a direction. Right. So yeah,
(27:04):
there was one day we just wentto. And then also to, you know, give
you some sort of essence as well.
Yeah.
So one night we were at. Wewere at Bogobiri. We just, you know,
randomly just went to Bogobirihouse at. At. So we went there and,
(27:28):
you know, just entering theplace and this is someone like we've,
you know, that we visitregularly. But being there that night
felt different. It felt like Iwas seeing the place for the first
time.
Yeah.
I was looking at theartifacts, I was looking at, you
know, the paintings there. Itfelt like I. And then it had. It
(27:54):
was deeply Afrocentric andthen. And then the broken mirrors
on the wall. I. It felt. Feltlike I was seeing the place for the
first time. So I told anuncle, Cargo, I just told. Told Cargo
about the possibility ofshooting the film at Bulgoberry and
(28:17):
just there. And then he sawwhat I was saying and we just started,
you know, join our shortlistthat night there. And then we went
to ask whether they had. Or ahotel room in the plan place and
they said yes. Like, it feltlike we just went there and it just
aligned perfectly to thestory. Right. Yeah. So, yeah, so
(28:40):
that was how the preproduction started.
Okay. And what workeddifferently from, you know, your
first experience where youwere clashing with the cinematographer?
What worked particularly wellin how you and Cargo, like worked
on this project?
Oh, it was, it's. It was, itwas so amazing. I'll say amazing
(29:06):
because I spent, I literallyspent one day, almost a year talking
about the story.
Yeah.
So as I saw, even before themain production started, we had been
doing pre production but like,but on a story level so that he too
could understand the story. Soas I said, I could understand each
(29:29):
other. So. So, so it felt likeI did one year prep. So the prep
was really, really deep. Wewere like, we prepped really, really
well for the, for the, for thefilm. So even, I mean, like, even
on the night, I was even onthe eve of the production. Yeah,
(29:51):
you know, I was, I was stillmaking corrections on the scripts
and he was there with me andthat we know. And we were rehearsing
the scripts Together. So. Sogetting on set was like, we are just
coming to execute what we'vebeen talking about for almost eight
months. So it was just, youknow. You know, it was so easy. So
(30:14):
it was really easy. And I, Iliked. I liked the preparation. I
like the intentionality ofeverything we did. Like, I really
liked it. And I realized thisis how a film should be made. It's.
It's. It's like pitting,putting puzzles together. Right.
And it feels. It feels verymagical sometimes, you know, So I.
(30:39):
I really like process of. Ofworking with him. And that was like
the big difference. The deepreproduction we did so that they
are in alignment, you know,during, you know, photography.
Nice. I mean, well done. Youknow, Enyo is a really beautiful
(31:00):
film. I watched it at AccraIndie film first some weeks ago.
Nice.
I really enjoyed it.Basically, the. The sound of the
film, the sound design and allthat. Like, at what stage did you
guys decide how that was goingto sound? Was that part of your pre
production or you figured thatout in post?
(31:24):
Okay, yeah, that was figuredout in posts, actually. Yeah, yeah,
it was figured out in post. Sobecause of the apost of the film
and also. And also the factthat it's. It's. It has spirituality
and magical realism. Yeah,yeah. Kago introduced me to Gerard.
(31:49):
Gerard. So Gerard is a. Gerardis an artist? Yeah, he's a. He's
a music artist. And he playsoja, an Igbo, musical instruments
used for summoning spirits.So. Yeah, so they call him. So I
(32:14):
reached out to him on the filmto. To get a score on the film too.
So that. So that we are also,you know, playing around with natural,
you know, cultural sounds inthe. You know, in the film. So I
reached out to him for theoja. Actually, that was like the
(32:35):
only thing. I just reached outto him to get me the oja for him
to just get me the oja sound.So I didn't really know. He plays
other instruments. He playsop. Op is also a sound for the spirits.
And then there is one obaka.Obaka is melody. You know, you use
(32:55):
it. Yeah. For all melodies.
Are all these instruments likewoodwind instruments where you blow
into them or.
No, different.
Okay, what is. What is it?What does it look like? How does
it work?
Oh, that is just what. I don'tknow how to explain it. Yeah, yeah.
(33:16):
Is. Yeah. Or there is flutesthen is like what you call piano,
guitar.
Okay.
Yes. Then op is like his horn.
Okay.
Yes. Yeah. So, you know. Yeah.So he plays, you know, all these
(33:42):
instruments so we now justtalked. Talked about where each instrument
will go so that everythingcomes in, you know, is coherent enough.
So that was how we worked onthe, on the score. So the oja was
(34:02):
used, you know, whenever thespirits were around. Then the opito
and then the obaka for melodyand all. That was it.
Okay. All right, let's take alittle segue. Can you mention three
random facts about yourself?
(34:22):
Random.
That makes you. You.
That makes me. Okay, thatmakes me. I love life. I love life
(34:43):
a lot. I like to think and.
You like to think. Or anotherthinker. There's a difference, right?
No, not overthinker. I justlike to wonder. Okay, I don't wonder.
Yeah, not like. I just like towonder on existential, you know,
(35:06):
questions and all. Yeah, yeah,Say three then. I. I love. I love
music.
Okay, what, some of the genresand artists that you like.
(35:29):
Honestly, recently I've. I've.I really like desert blues. Desert
does melodies from Senegal,Uganda. Like other. Other West. West
African countries.
Yeah.
(35:51):
Right now that's like my jam.
Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, wetalked about, you know, your film
getting selected to severalfestivals. You also started the Africa
International Horror Film Fest.
Yeah.
(36:11):
How. How was that? Whatinspired the decision to do that
in 2020?
Sometime in 2020, I thought ofthe possibility of, you know, having
a horror film festival becauseat that time of my life, I was fascinated
by horror films. So. And thenI, you know, one day just. I mean,
(36:39):
like, the thoughts just cameto my mind. Why? Why is there. No,
I just thought, is there. Isthere a festival meant for horror
films in Africa? And, youknow, it was just one. One South
African horror Film festival.So just that's really film festival,
(37:00):
you know, that, you know, thatcelebrates horror films in Africa.
So that was why I just start.I just started the, the horror film
festival because I felt the.The genre is a. Is quite an interesting
one.
Yeah.
Then, you know, not havingenough people, you know, bold enough
(37:25):
to even tell stories that, youknow, dark stories, like, that was,
you know, I felt it. We shouldhave, you know, diverse genres. You
know, people shouldn't, like,I shouldn't just be making drama
or comedy because I feelthat's what's going to sell or that's
what people want to watch. Youshould, you know. Yeah. So that was
(37:49):
what inspired me to start thefilm festival. And it's, it's been.
I started in 2021.
Yeah.
Yes, I started in 2021 andwe've had three editions.
Okay, so do you have dates forthis year?
(38:11):
Okay, so when I started theHorror Film Festival. It was from
a place of wanting to set up aplatform. A platform for that genre.
Right.
Yeah.
And so after, after our thirdedition in 2023 shifted from just
wanting a platform for. Togiving people an experience of being
(38:36):
in a horror film festival. Sowe had that, that transformation,
you know, after the thirdedition, so last year. And this year
is just purely for rebranding.So the next, the next edition will
be next year. So we are justrebranding and know, trying to come
(38:56):
up with something more, youknow, solid down would enrich people's
experiences at the festival.
Yeah. So we should, we shouldwait patiently and when the time
is right, I guess we'll find out.
Sure.
Yeah. Okay, nice. But, yeah,in the three years that you ran it,
(39:20):
what did. What were youpleasant surprised by with. In terms
of Africa and the genre of horror?
Okay. I was very surprisedthat people bought into the idea
because when I was starting,it felt like it's, it's like, like,
(39:42):
like who regards horror in this?
Yeah.
Yeah. So there was so. And forme, sometimes I just throw myself
into things just because, Imean, like, I love to experiment
and, you know, find newthings. So I just, I just did it.
Like I wasn't expecting thatwould even get any kind of funding
(40:05):
or support. Nothing. So I wasready to run it with my personal
fund. But then, you know,started the festival and seeing people
tuning, you know, peoplewanted to partner with us. We, you
know, getting. Gettingfunding, support from UBA under Red
(40:27):
tv. Like it was so. It wasvery. How do I explain it? I was
just pleasantly surprised.Like, really, really surprised. I
wasn't. Yeah. And then alsofilmmakers, they were very happy,
you know, that we are finallyhaving a horror film festival, you
(40:49):
know, and then you, you wouldsee that people, all these people
have been craving forsomething different until one person
just takes the initiative tostart it. You see people tuning.
So I was just very happy that,you know, so it, it's. It's. So as
I saw right now, the festivalhas gone beyond me. I'm no longer
a lighter. It's not, it's notjust me carrying it, people. I've
(41:13):
been getting a lot of, youknow, P. From people that also want
to join in, you know, for usto create something. Because at the
end of the day, I'm not justthe one that will be doing the festival.
Have to work with, you know, asolid team, you know. Yeah, it's.
It's been really wonderful,honestly. Yeah.
Okay. What are the differentways that African horror can you
(41:39):
know, kind of, I guess,separate itself from the. I guess,
Western horror traditions and tropes.
Okay. Well, I used to say. Iused to say that even as a continent,
we are also even surroundedby, like, the life that is, you know,
(42:06):
that is happening around us.It's. It's all full of horror. Like,
literally grew up here. Like,we grew up in the horror. We don't.
So I. I believe one should beinspired by his environment, by the
things that he has seen.That's when it would actually feel
true. I mean, like, and eventhe, you know, early Nollywood, they
were very, like, they werereally scary stories, and they were
(42:30):
inspired by what was evenhappening around us. Money, ritual,
Bush Baby, Madame Koi Koi. Soall of this is like all. All these
stories. I mean, like, if youpick the one that you turn into yam,
if you pick. If you pick moneyon the streets, like, we are also
by horrific stories. I thinkthat is how African horror can sort
(42:53):
of stand out. And then. Andthen even our spirituality has that
element as well. Horror inthis sense is not the fact that it's
something to be scared of,right? It's. It's. It's. I think
for me, horror, horrortranscends being scared of something
like. Like the. These. Is itjump scare? Like, horror transcends
(43:18):
jump scares. Horror, it'sabout, you know, the fear that every
human being can relate to. Youknow, So I. So for me, I feel horror.
It's about facing your fears.Whatever it is could be spiritually,
it could be emotionally, itcould be psychologically. Everyone
(43:38):
has fears. So for me, I.That's how I see the journey. So
I. I think. And then Africa asa whole, like, we have, like, we.
We all embody all of thesethings. Everybody does. But for me,
yeah, that's just how horror,I mean, African horror can separate
from the Western.
(44:00):
Yeah, troops. Okay.
Yeah.
Nice. What do you enjoy, youknow, from, you know, being a filmmaker
and also a curator, like, withthe festival? Like, what do you enjoy
about those two. Those twothings that you do?
(44:20):
What do I enjoy? I. I love thefact that, like, I'm able to. To
also learn from otherfilmmakers, right? Because I get
to watch a lot of films. I getto really watch a lot. And a lot
of films that, you know, like,you know, just living really just
makes me fascinated at whatpeople could actually come up with.
(44:44):
So for me, it's. It's alsoabout learning from these filmmakers.
And so. So the. So thecreation. So. So whenever I'm creating
it, I am Thinking in terms ofthe filmmaker, like, what's. What
like, like I'm thinking ofways that the festival too could
benefit, you know, thefilmmakers. So it's not just about
(45:05):
them. What, you know, so it'snot just. Yeah. Screening their film.
So I'm. I'm also thinkingahead, you know, so what becomes
of their journey after. Afterthe festival. So, yeah, so I, I really
like being on, you know, onboth ends because whenever I, you
(45:28):
know, I attended a filmfestival, like the last one I attended
in Lagos, that's where in yourscreen premiered. I liked that. You
know, I like the, you know,the, like the recognition actually
given to filmmakers. So. Yes.So, like, I really, really liked
(45:49):
it. And it's something, youknow, I would like. I'm trying to
learn also with the festival.
Yeah. I mean, congrats onwinning the audience choice awards
at sorrel 16 festival.
Thank you.
How was that like, you know,showing your film to the audience,
(46:10):
experiencing with them. Howwas that experience for you?
It was very, I mean, it wasvery intimate. It was very inspiring.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was really, reallyinspiring. Because procedure to be
(46:32):
precise, there are, you know,filmmakers that I really admire in
Nigeria. I really admire theirstyle, but, you know, I've. I've
never really understood whytheir style is different, you know,
why their style in filmmakingis. It's not just like you could
(46:53):
feel the artistry in their. Intheir films. You could feel it different.
You could feel the differencein it. So there are filming that
I've really admired for, youknow, a long time, and having my
film screen in a, you know, ina festival that they created because
I remember sending the film tocj when the film, you know, when
(47:16):
I, I finished, I rounded upthe film. I remember sending it to
him and then he, you know, andthen he was happy to, you know, to
have it in the officialcompetition at the festival. I was
quite honored, to be honest. Iwas quite honored. And then you also
getting to meet otherfilmmakers that are, you know, like,
(47:40):
you could tell that they areartists. So it felt, it felt like,
like I've met my people, like,like, you know, so I liked the. I
liked the experience. Andthen, then to even finally win the
award. Yeah, I was, I. I don'tthink I expected that. I was just
(48:03):
very thankful that my film wasscreening. That was just. All this
was so winning was like, ah,it felt like. It felt like, yeah,
I mean, like, it felt like avery big validation to me.
Yeah.
(48:23):
You know, my work, it feltlike a very big validation. So it
Also, you know, boosted myconfidence, like the confidence in
myself.
Yeah. Nice. What are youworking on? Are there other things
you're excited to explore?
I'm just looking forward toexploring, to be honest. I'm not
(48:46):
looking forward to. I'm justlooking forward to exploring genres,
stories, you know? Yeah, Idon't. I think that's it.
Yeah. And are you working onanything new?
Well, I was working onsomething new. We always look at
(49:08):
something you say, yeah, sure.It's just early stages.
Okay. All right. So, I mean,as a filmmaker, as a festival founder,
there are things that canhappen within the Nigerian creative
space that will make, youknow, the way you do things a lot
(49:31):
easier. So like, for youwithin this industry, what improvements
do you want to see?
I'm just looking forward toimprovements on the. On the story
styles. Like, they just havemore kind of story styles and around
(49:54):
to have variety and not justone kind of story.
Nice. And how can people keepup with your work? Like, where can
they go to know what you're up to?
Yeah, I mean, I'm always onInstagram. I post some of my works
on Instagram.
Okay. Do you particularly haveany advice for young filmmakers?
(50:21):
I guess you're. You're kind ofin the early stages of your career,
but like, what has helped youget to this point so far and. Yeah.
Would you like to share thatwith young filmmakers?
Well, when you say youngfilmmakers, I wonder what kind of
filmmaker.
First time filmmakers.
(50:44):
Okay. I don't consider myselfstolid enough to give any advice.
Yeah. But I'll just say whatis currently working for me? To experience
life, to really pay attentionand be aware of life. Everything
(51:07):
that is going on around you,things that you are feeling, people
that you are saying, justreally get to experience life deeply.
Because I think life is ourgreatest inspiration as artists.
All right, thanks, Ineoha forcoming on the Nigerian Filmmaker.
(51:27):
Really enjoyed this chat.
Thank you very much for having me.
We have come to the end ofthis episode. Remember to rate and
review the podcast. You canalso follow me on Instagram for Facebook
and X at Seligo Film and thepodcast at Niger Film Port. You can
now support the podcast byclicking on the link in the show
notes. See you on the nextepisode. Have a good one.
You're welcome
to the Naija Filmmaker, apodcast about Nigerian filmmakers.
Their films on how we canbuild a diverse and functional industry,
I'm your host Sele Got. Onthis episode. My guest is Nneoha
Aligwe. She's a photographer,writer and filmmaker. She also founded
(00:24):
Africa International HorrorFilm Festival. We talk about self
expression, her creativejourney and her festival touring
short film, Enyo(Reflections). If you're a new listener,
you're welcome and I hope youenjoy. Hi Nneoha. You're welcome
(00:45):
to the Naija Filmmaker.
Hi Sele. Thank you for having me.
All right, you're welcome.
So.
So can you introduce yourselfin your words?
My name is Nneoha Aligwe. Andintroducing myself, I think I'm just.
(01:07):
I'm just a human being justgoing through life and expressing
what I'm seeing through myworks, either writing or film or
photography. So that'sbasically who I am. Yeah.
Okay. Which one came first?Was it writing, photography, filmmaking?
(01:32):
Can you tell us how yourcreative journey started?
Okay. It started with writing.I started writing, you know, as a
child.
Yeah.
And I don't. I was justbasically writing because I. That
(01:53):
was the only way I felt peoplewould listen to what I had to say,
you know, around me. Yeah. Sothat was why I started writing. And
it was also a way to. To justhave someone to talk to as well.
To just, just. It's justbecause of, you know, like my background
and where I'm coming from. Sothat's literally why I started writing.
(02:17):
Then from there I, I got veryinterested in film because I was.
I was just that child that,you know, you know, television was
for on serious kids. So theyhad to. Yeah. So that discipline
of, you know, just trying tomake sure that we are always watching
(02:39):
either news or, or churchprograms. So films and anything entertainment
was just like, you know, weare not allowed to say it. So because.
And nobody actually explainedto me why I shouldn't watch films.
So. Yeah. And then I got.Because, like, I'm a very curious
(02:59):
person. I'm highly curious.Like, if you are not. If you don't
explain why I shouldn't dosomething, I would want to try it
and see for myself. So Istarted being very curious about
film. So whenever all theadults have all gone to bed, I would
sort of sneak out and, youknow, you know, go watch a film in
the night. So I thought, youknow, like, it really fascinated
(03:24):
me how people just like, asin. Because I usually watch the,
the end credits. And then itwas just very fascinating that all
those people actually cametogether to create a story. Because
for Me then I thought storieswas like, I had to. It's just one
person. I had to just form itbecause I'm, you know, because I'm
(03:45):
a writer. Like, like I writestories, but also having, like, you
know, a lot of people cometogether to form a story, I was very,
very fascinated, you know, bythe art form. So then I, I think
I, I. But then because of, youknow, my background, everyone does.
(04:08):
There's like a choosing partfor everybody already. So mine was
lawyer. You know, my parentswanted me to be a lawyer, which I
did. I mean. Yeah. Which Idid. Yes, yes. I went to law school.
I remember. I remember my, Iremember actually writing in my diary,
(04:30):
when I grow up, I'll be afilmmaker. No, no, not I'll be a
filmmaker. I'll make films.And I wrote that because I wanted
to. I felt like maybe any ofmy parents might see it and sort
of, they would know what Iactually want to do, because that
(04:50):
was the point where I neededto pick, like, a career, you know.
And then thankfully, my momsaw it and then showed my dad. And
my dad, you know, he, he wasvery worried. He was very worried
because he, he, you know,since I was a child, I've always
been, oh, you're going to be alawyer? Like a father, you know.
(05:13):
So I was, you know, that hasbeen the, the whole plan. And then
hearing me say that I wantedto go and make films if it felt very
like I was, I was not serious.But then he sort of, you know, also
explained to me that I shouldjust be the lawyer, right? I should
(05:35):
just, you know, be a lawyerthen. Because, like, I'm still young.
Then when I'm done with, youknow, when I'm done with school,
then I can, I can do whateverI wanted to do in my life. I said,
okay, no problem. So that washow I. I went to law school. And
then I graduated 2017, theywent to law school, Lagos. And then
(06:00):
I was called to about 2018. Sowhen I was called to that, I, I went
back home. And then I, I toldhim that I, like, I'm done with school.
I'm done with law school. Andyes, and then during my youth service,
(06:22):
I also worked in a law firm.And then, you know, I've done my
service. So really right now Iwant to, like, go pursue film. That
I already, then, then Ialready had, like, an internship
opportunity in Abuja. Soafter, I mean, like, I told him and
(06:44):
he, he was very worried aboutme, to be honest. Like, he was really,
really unworried. Because eventhen I have to remind him of the
conversation we had when I wasbefore, you know, before I got into
the university. I had toremind him of that conversation.
And he was so surprised, youknow. But he. He just told me I should.
(07:05):
I mean like, he will. He. Ithink he just wanted me to. To. To
also explore that. I mean,like. But then I don't Bl. What everybody
knows, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
What was his particular worry?
His particular worries? Thatthere is no future in it. That's
even number one. There's nofuture in it. There is no. Like financially,
(07:26):
right?
Yeah.
There is no. There is nofuture like just gonna make films
like you get. So that's wherehe's. He was coming from. He was
really, really worried that Iwouldn't be financially okay. But
then law already. He was, youknow, running a law firm and like
everything was already set forme, you know, once I finished from
(07:46):
school, I come walk. And thenalso because the profession is very
respectable, you know, being alawyer, it's like a big thing, especially
in Nigeria also that prestige.So that was where he wanted me to
be. But I was. I. I don'tthink all of that fascinated me as
(08:07):
much as making films did. So Ididn't mind. Yeah.
Okay. You finished your lawdegree, went to law school.
Yeah.
When did you make your first film?
I made my first film in 2019.Yeah, 2019. I was. Then I was. That
(08:29):
was during my youth service. Imade the. Yeah, I made a short film.
Just. Just trying things outand then I just called my friends
and then because. Because Iwas. I had to save up for the film
from my allowy and littlesalary I was earning then and then.
(08:50):
And so. So because of thefinancial constraint and also because
I really wanted to just trythings out. I. I really wanted to.
Okay. I think that was. Thatwas immediately I came out from the
first film sets that I, youknow, that I not walked in, but maybe
(09:11):
just intend for a day. Right.So then I had met a mentor. His name
is Cargo. He's acinematographer. I, like, I met him
in 2018 after my, you know,law school. I met him when I went
for a film festival and youknow, he just gave a lecture there
(09:32):
and I liked it and that washow we connected. So in 2019, when
I, you know, I moved close toLagos for my youth service, he invited
me over to a set that he wasworking in. I think the film was
Casanova. So I went to the setand that was the first time I was
actually been on a film Set,Set. And I was so blown. Like, like
(09:57):
it felt, it felt, it felt likeI was home. Like, I was like, it
felt like this is where Ineeded to be. So, you know, working
on the crew members, everyonefelt like a military zone. So I was
so super fascinated. Thenafter, after that I just, it was
just like a day I just came tosee what a film set like. So I went
(10:21):
back and then I said. And Iwanted to make a film. You know,
I never directed before. Inever gone to any film school. All
I was just doing was justresearching on YouTube and just learning
how to, how to make a film,how to direct. So, you know, I wrote
a very short film of just onecharacter, like a horror film. One
(10:43):
character, One character, onelocation, no dialogue, was to also
have a very solid story. So Iwas able to create that with my friends
because. And it was alsobecause there was. I didn't have
money to pay a lot of people,so I just had to restrict, restrict
the story like that. And it's,you know, I, I mean, like, at the
(11:06):
end of the day, I liked whatI, you know, what we created then.
So it's interesting. And thenI released the film in 2019. The.
The film is titled FacebookFriend. I released it in 2019. Then
it got into, it got into semi,semi finalist at I Am Africa short
(11:29):
Film competition. That wasDecember 2019. Yeah. So that was
when I made my first film.
Okay, and what was thelearning curve for you on that first
film? Were there things youstruggled with or you pretty much
flowed into the room?
I think was that I really,really, I mean, I can't really say
(11:51):
because like, I was workingwith my friends and they were actually
people that knew better thanme. Right. So the, so the cinematographer,
you know, was, he was, he wasalready working as a cinematographer.
Then my editor, Peter, PeterOga, he was already working as an
(12:16):
editor. So it felt like theywere also guiding me. Right. So I
think one of the things Istruggled with was working with the,
with the cinematographer. Youknow, he had like, I, I think like
it was just my first timedirecting, so we were just having
(12:37):
a lot of ideas clash. I didn'tknow I had to like even explain to
him. Like, we didn't have anypre production. We just, I just called
them on. Like I, like, I wrotethis story on, I wrote the story
on. On Monday. I was shootingon Saturday. There was no prep, nothing.
We just came to the hotel roomwith our, with our equipment. I just
(13:01):
started shooting. So there wasno direct, there was really no direction.
So it was, you know, then thatwe started, you know, putting hairs
together, so it felt likedoing pre production and production
at the same day. It was veryfunny, but it was quite fun. You
know, I learned. Yeah, I,like, I learned how to explain. Explained
(13:21):
my ideas also to the actor.Yeah, it was. It was a whole lot.
I would say I struggledfinancially. The finances, I mean,
like, I spent literallyeverything I had for. But my friends
were also willing. I thinkthe, like, the only thing I spent
was just welfare, but then theshooting and everything, they didn't
(13:44):
really collect any money fromme, so.
Yeah, because that was a goodfirst experience.
Yeah. Really?
Yeah. Nice. So you went on to,you know, study at Ebony Life Creative
Academy. How was that experience?
(14:04):
Like, I had made film. 2019,2022, I made another film, a documentary.
Those are, like, the onlyworks I did. Right. Because I wanted
to make a film. Right. Youknow, like, there's a difference
between wanting to make afilm. Like, oh, I just want to make
(14:25):
a film. And also I want to saythis thing with a film, like, they're
like, there are two differentthings. Right? Yeah. So before Ebony
Life, I was just saying, Iwant to make a film. I want to make
a film. Right. So it was justlike, I was just fascinated by the
art form. Oh, I just want tomake a film. I want just. But then
(14:46):
being at Ebony Life, and thatwas also the point I moved back to
Lagos from Abuja. So being atEbony Life and experiencing our Hod,
Daniel or I, it shifted myperspective from, I just want to
(15:07):
make a film. I just want tomake a film to what do I want to
say with a film? Yeah, so. Sofor me, everyday life was very, you
know, sort of transformed myview on the art form. Right. So that
was what, like, personally,that was. That was the journey I
(15:29):
went through in a bony life.
Okay. And I guess one thingthat happens at film schools is that
you meet colleagues and youpotentially move on to work with
them. Have you, I guess, madethe most of that since leaving film
school?
Yeah, I finished in 2023, Ithink June. Then in December. I mean,
(15:57):
like, while I was at EbonyLife, I. I had a. A short film that
I had written. Like, we evenpresented it in class. So. And then
I actually, you know, gave.Gave correction. So I went back and,
you know, worked on the film,on the script again. So what happened
at Ebony Life was as I wasthere, I was already thinking about
(16:19):
the people I would work withon the script. So it was very easy
for me to connect with, like,Minds as well. So after school in
December 2023, when I. Now,that was when I shot the film. And
the film is Annual Reflection.So I worked. Yeah. So some of the
(16:40):
actors and the. And theCourier, my colleagues from Ebony
Life.
Okay, we'll come back to Anya,but I want to talk about, you know,
when you kind of realize thekind of films you want to tell. I
mean, if somebody is lookingat your filmography, they might say,
(17:04):
you know, you love to tellhorror stories, but you also have
your documentary that is a bitdifferent. So, like, would you say
you have the kind of storiesyou want to tell? And what is that?
To be honest, before. BeforeEbony Life, I would say I want to
make horror films. Right.Yeah, before life. But after your
(17:25):
Bonnie Life, like, I realizedthere is no. There is no. Like, I
shouldn't be so boxed into onegenre. Right. Let me do that. Yeah.
So for now, no. So after ABurning Life, I don't have. I don't.
I don't have any particularstory I want to tell. So after Bonnie
(17:45):
Life, what I'm interested inright now is to express myself so
I can be feeling differentthings that I want to express. So
it's more of what I want toexpress for myself than the kind
of story I want to tell. Ijust want to tell stories that also
feel true to me and feel trueto really what I want to see as a
(18:07):
person.
Okay, so so far, what inspiresthe kind of stories you have told?
Like, what speaks to you, whathas. What has inspired you so far
in the different films youhave made?
Okay. I'm very inspired bylife. So I. For me, it's life. Like,
(18:29):
life inspires me. I like toalso throw myself into experiences.
I like to experience people,feel them deeply, you know, because
I believe there's just somuch. So much that life is the art
that we all have to tap into.So I am highly, highly inspired by
life. So all my works are justlike scribbles from my experiences,
(18:54):
my personal experiences. Yeah, yeah.
You said you like to. Yeah.Experience life. Can you tell us,
like, your top threeexperiences so far in your life that
have. I mean, if. No pressure,but you can even give one. But, like,
(19:15):
what experience do you hold sodearly that you've had so far in
your life.
Experience? I've had sodearly. So I would say, actually,
I'll say the one that I reallyhold dearly and the one that's sort
(19:35):
of altered me is my father'sdeath. Right. So my father died in
2022. And before then, I was,I was working in Abuja. I had, it
felt like film sort of. Itfelt like the financial pressure
(19:56):
from society from trying tosort bills. So I feel like, like
the pressure of that, youknow, I, like, I got caught up with
that. Yeah. So after 2020, Ihad, you know, I had not even made
any film and I was just inAbuja. I was working. I was, you
know, working freelance,freelance writing. Corporate. But
(20:18):
in the corporate. Thecorporate organization. Yeah. So
that's what I was in Abuja andI was taking care of myself. So.
So in 2022, I. I came. I cameto Lagos for a project. And then
from, you know, from Abuja.And then my dad passed. That was
(20:43):
September, so I went. When Iwent home for the burial and people
around, everybody just keptsaying, oh, that's as in because
I'm the first child and I'mthe first daughter. I'm the only
daughter. So, you know, peoplekept saying, oh, it's time to. That
I have, I mean, like I haveto, you know, come back and walk.
(21:07):
Like really work. They don'tunderstand the kind of work I'm doing,
but I have to come and startdoing something serious to take care
of my family. So thatrealization of, you know, my, my
dad being gone and so it feltlike he just woke me up on, on, on
(21:27):
what I really want to do in mylife. So when I came back from, you
know, from the burial, I, Iquit the job I was doing and then,
then I moved to Lagosimmediately. And then, you know,
registered at EBONY Life. So Ithink it was a wake up call for me.
Yeah, yeah.
(21:49):
Rest in peace. I mean, let'stalk about the scariest film you've
watched. Which one would you pick?
I think get out. Yeah.
Okay. What was scary about it?Which part particularly?
(22:12):
I think you see that party,right? Like that party when I can't
even remember his, his, hisname. But like being, I mean, like,
imagine like, like a black manbeing in the midst of white men.
And the way they were. Oh, andthe way they were all looking at
him. Like he could feel theuneasiness in the air.
(22:34):
Yeah.
So I think. Yeah, for me thatwas, that was very scary. That was
really scary. Psychologically.Not like to your face, but like that.
Just the uncertainness of whatmight happen.
Like, I could feel his. Ah,nah, you could feel for him. Yeah.
(22:58):
So I liked it. I liked it.
And how about the SunkenPlace? How did you feel about that?
Yes, that's true.
Yeah, that, I mean that,that's a Bit, a bit bleak. Like just
basically not. You can't seeanything. You're just floating and
(23:19):
you don't know if you make it out.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay. We'll talk about yourmentor. That's, and you know, working
with him as a collaborator onnu. So, you know, like how, how did
that mentorship shape you?Just before you, you know, collaborated
(23:41):
with him on nu.
I said his mentorship. Right.Even though I, I, I came to him for
mentorship in film. Right. Youknow, when film mentor or the person
is going to teach her to makea film, it wasn't like that. So his
(24:02):
own mentorship was. And I, andI think basically this is what mentorship
should be. Right? Someone thatopens your eye to life. Right. He's
not coming to teach us to be afilmmaker. He's telling, he's, he's
coming to open your eye on howyou see life. Yeah, right. Because
(24:26):
at the end of the day, the,even the kind of stories you tell,
you know, reflect how you seelife. So for me, that was, that was
what the mentorship did forme, how it transformed me. And, and
also it was, you know, likethe mentorship got much more stable
because I made him 20. Yeah,2018. Yeah, yeah, 2018. But the mentorship
(24:51):
got much more stable when Imoved back to lagos. That was 2023.
And then, you know, during myebony life journey, so it sort of
aligned. So just watching howhe, he also experiences life and
it was just always veryinteresting, you know, to just talk
(25:12):
about life and. Yeah, so itmade me wake up to life, like be
hyper aware of my experiencesand to pay attention because sometimes
we just, we just move throughlife just, you know, on autopilot.
You don't, you don't sort ofcome down to experience like whatever
(25:37):
you are doing, like do itpresently, be aware, look at people,
you know, just, and it's, andit's always so beautiful to do. It's
always so beautiful. And if itfeels, feels you up, like spiritually.
Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, so thatwas what his mentorship did for me.
(25:57):
So the film, the film I hadwritten that was after Opening Life.
So like he was the firstperson I gave the scripture with
and I, I liked, I liked, Iliked the insights that he brought
to the story because it wasabout, it was about two couples that,
(26:20):
you know, that, that go on agetaway trip and then they meet another
ghost couple. But then theydidn't, they didn't know that, you
know, they were ghosts. Andthen at the end there's a reveal
yes. You now see, but to behonest, like, the story didn't really
have that much weight. Like tojust go to the hotel and meet Ghost.
(26:44):
Like there was not much weightin the story. So over time we just
kept talking about the script.We just, you know, kept talking about
the story. The story until itfinally came together somehow. And
if, you know, it had, like hehad a direction. Right. So yeah,
(27:04):
there was one day we just wentto. And then also to, you know, give
you some sort of essence as well.
Yeah.
So one night we were at. Wewere at Bogobiri. We just, you know,
randomly just went to Bogobirihouse at. At. So we went there and,
(27:28):
you know, just entering theplace and this is someone like we've,
you know, that we visitregularly. But being there that night
felt different. It felt like Iwas seeing the place for the first
time.
Yeah.
I was looking at theartifacts, I was looking at, you
know, the paintings there. Itfelt like I. And then it had. It
(27:54):
was deeply Afrocentric andthen. And then the broken mirrors
on the wall. I. It felt. Feltlike I was seeing the place for the
first time. So I told anuncle, Cargo, I just told. Told Cargo
about the possibility ofshooting the film at Bulgoberry and
(28:17):
just there. And then he sawwhat I was saying and we just started,
you know, join our shortlistthat night there. And then we went
to ask whether they had. Or ahotel room in the plan place and
they said yes. Like, it feltlike we just went there and it just
aligned perfectly to thestory. Right. Yeah. So, yeah, so
(28:40):
that was how the preproduction started.
Okay. And what workeddifferently from, you know, your
first experience where youwere clashing with the cinematographer?
What worked particularly wellin how you and Cargo, like worked
on this project?
Oh, it was, it's. It was, itwas so amazing. I'll say amazing
(29:06):
because I spent, I literallyspent one day, almost a year talking
about the story.
Yeah.
So as I saw, even before themain production started, we had been
doing pre production but like,but on a story level so that he too
could understand the story. Soas I said, I could understand each
(29:29):
other. So. So, so it felt likeI did one year prep. So the prep
was really, really deep. Wewere like, we prepped really, really
well for the, for the, for thefilm. So even, I mean, like, even
on the night, I was even onthe eve of the production. Yeah,
(29:51):
you know, I was, I was stillmaking corrections on the scripts
and he was there with me andthat we know. And we were rehearsing
the scripts Together. So. Sogetting on set was like, we are just
coming to execute what we'vebeen talking about for almost eight
months. So it was just, youknow. You know, it was so easy. So
(30:14):
it was really easy. And I, Iliked. I liked the preparation. I
like the intentionality ofeverything we did. Like, I really
liked it. And I realized thisis how a film should be made. It's.
It's. It's like pitting,putting puzzles together. Right.
And it feels. It feels verymagical sometimes, you know, So I.
(30:39):
I really like process of. Ofworking with him. And that was like
the big difference. The deepreproduction we did so that they
are in alignment, you know,during, you know, photography.
Nice. I mean, well done. Youknow, Enyo is a really beautiful
(31:00):
film. I watched it at AccraIndie film first some weeks ago.
Nice.
I really enjoyed it.Basically, the. The sound of the
film, the sound design and allthat. Like, at what stage did you
guys decide how that was goingto sound? Was that part of your pre
production or you figured thatout in post?
(31:24):
Okay, yeah, that was figuredout in posts, actually. Yeah, yeah,
it was figured out in post. Sobecause of the apost of the film
and also. And also the factthat it's. It's. It has spirituality
and magical realism. Yeah,yeah. Kago introduced me to Gerard.
(31:49):
Gerard. So Gerard is a. Gerardis an artist? Yeah, he's a. He's
a music artist. And he playsoja, an Igbo, musical instruments
used for summoning spirits.So. Yeah, so they call him. So I
(32:14):
reached out to him on the filmto. To get a score on the film too.
So that. So that we are also,you know, playing around with natural,
you know, cultural sounds inthe. You know, in the film. So I
reached out to him for theoja. Actually, that was like the
(32:35):
only thing. I just reached outto him to get me the oja for him
to just get me the oja sound.So I didn't really know. He plays
other instruments. He playsop. Op is also a sound for the spirits.
And then there is one obaka.Obaka is melody. You know, you use
(32:55):
it. Yeah. For all melodies.
Are all these instruments likewoodwind instruments where you blow
into them or.
No, different.
Okay, what is. What is it?What does it look like? How does
it work?
Oh, that is just what. I don'tknow how to explain it. Yeah, yeah.
(33:16):
Is. Yeah. Or there is flutesthen is like what you call piano,
guitar.
Okay.
Yes. Then op is like his horn.
Okay.
Yes. Yeah. So, you know. Yeah.So he plays, you know, all these
(33:42):
instruments so we now justtalked. Talked about where each instrument
will go so that everythingcomes in, you know, is coherent enough.
So that was how we worked onthe, on the score. So the oja was
(34:02):
used, you know, whenever thespirits were around. Then the opito
and then the obaka for melodyand all. That was it.
Okay. All right, let's take alittle segue. Can you mention three
random facts about yourself?
(34:22):
Random.
That makes you. You.
That makes me. Okay, thatmakes me. I love life. I love life
(34:43):
a lot. I like to think and.
You like to think. Or anotherthinker. There's a difference, right?
No, not overthinker. I justlike to wonder. Okay, I don't wonder.
Yeah, not like. I just like towonder on existential, you know,
(35:06):
questions and all. Yeah, yeah,Say three then. I. I love. I love
music.
Okay, what, some of the genresand artists that you like.
(35:29):
Honestly, recently I've. I've.I really like desert blues. Desert
does melodies from Senegal,Uganda. Like other. Other West. West
African countries.
Yeah.
(35:51):
Right now that's like my jam.
Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, wetalked about, you know, your film
getting selected to severalfestivals. You also started the Africa
International Horror Film Fest.
Yeah.
(36:11):
How. How was that? Whatinspired the decision to do that
in 2020?
Sometime in 2020, I thought ofthe possibility of, you know, having
a horror film festival becauseat that time of my life, I was fascinated
by horror films. So. And thenI, you know, one day just. I mean,
(36:39):
like, the thoughts just cameto my mind. Why? Why is there. No,
I just thought, is there. Isthere a festival meant for horror
films in Africa? And, youknow, it was just one. One South
African horror Film festival.So just that's really film festival,
(37:00):
you know, that, you know, thatcelebrates horror films in Africa.
So that was why I just start.I just started the, the horror film
festival because I felt the.The genre is a. Is quite an interesting
one.
Yeah.
Then, you know, not havingenough people, you know, bold enough
(37:25):
to even tell stories that, youknow, dark stories, like, that was,
you know, I felt it. We shouldhave, you know, diverse genres. You
know, people shouldn't, like,I shouldn't just be making drama
or comedy because I feelthat's what's going to sell or that's
what people want to watch. Youshould, you know. Yeah. So that was
(37:49):
what inspired me to start thefilm festival. And it's, it's been.
I started in 2021.
Yeah.
Yes, I started in 2021 andwe've had three editions.
Okay, so do you have dates forthis year?
(38:11):
Okay, so when I started theHorror Film Festival. It was from
a place of wanting to set up aplatform. A platform for that genre.
Right.
Yeah.
And so after, after our thirdedition in 2023 shifted from just
wanting a platform for. Togiving people an experience of being
(38:36):
in a horror film festival. Sowe had that, that transformation,
you know, after the thirdedition, so last year. And this year
is just purely for rebranding.So the next, the next edition will
be next year. So we are justrebranding and know, trying to come
(38:56):
up with something more, youknow, solid down would enrich people's
experiences at the festival.
Yeah. So we should, we shouldwait patiently and when the time
is right, I guess we'll find out.
Sure.
Yeah. Okay, nice. But, yeah,in the three years that you ran it,
(39:20):
what did. What were youpleasant surprised by with. In terms
of Africa and the genre of horror?
Okay. I was very surprisedthat people bought into the idea
because when I was starting,it felt like it's, it's like, like,
(39:42):
like who regards horror in this?
Yeah.
Yeah. So there was so. And forme, sometimes I just throw myself
into things just because, Imean, like, I love to experiment
and, you know, find newthings. So I just, I just did it.
Like I wasn't expecting thatwould even get any kind of funding
(40:05):
or support. Nothing. So I wasready to run it with my personal
fund. But then, you know,started the festival and seeing people
tuning, you know, peoplewanted to partner with us. We, you
know, getting. Gettingfunding, support from UBA under Red
(40:27):
tv. Like it was so. It wasvery. How do I explain it? I was
just pleasantly surprised.Like, really, really surprised. I
wasn't. Yeah. And then alsofilmmakers, they were very happy,
you know, that we are finallyhaving a horror film festival, you
(40:49):
know, and then you, you wouldsee that people, all these people
have been craving forsomething different until one person
just takes the initiative tostart it. You see people tuning.
So I was just very happy that,you know, so it, it's. It's. So as
I saw right now, the festivalhas gone beyond me. I'm no longer
a lighter. It's not, it's notjust me carrying it, people. I've
(41:13):
been getting a lot of, youknow, P. From people that also want
to join in, you know, for usto create something. Because at the
end of the day, I'm not justthe one that will be doing the festival.
Have to work with, you know, asolid team, you know. Yeah, it's.
It's been really wonderful,honestly. Yeah.
Okay. What are the differentways that African horror can you
(41:39):
know, kind of, I guess,separate itself from the. I guess,
Western horror traditions and tropes.
Okay. Well, I used to say. Iused to say that even as a continent,
we are also even surroundedby, like, the life that is, you know,
(42:06):
that is happening around us.It's. It's all full of horror. Like,
literally grew up here. Like,we grew up in the horror. We don't.
So I. I believe one should beinspired by his environment, by the
things that he has seen.That's when it would actually feel
true. I mean, like, and eventhe, you know, early Nollywood, they
were very, like, they werereally scary stories, and they were
(42:30):
inspired by what was evenhappening around us. Money, ritual,
Bush Baby, Madame Koi Koi. Soall of this is like all. All these
stories. I mean, like, if youpick the one that you turn into yam,
if you pick. If you pick moneyon the streets, like, we are also
by horrific stories. I thinkthat is how African horror can sort
(42:53):
of stand out. And then. Andthen even our spirituality has that
element as well. Horror inthis sense is not the fact that it's
something to be scared of,right? It's. It's. It's. I think
for me, horror, horrortranscends being scared of something
like. Like the. These. Is itjump scare? Like, horror transcends
(43:18):
jump scares. Horror, it'sabout, you know, the fear that every
human being can relate to. Youknow, So I. So for me, I feel horror.
It's about facing your fears.Whatever it is could be spiritually,
it could be emotionally, itcould be psychologically. Everyone
(43:38):
has fears. So for me, I.That's how I see the journey. So
I. I think. And then Africa asa whole, like, we have, like, we.
We all embody all of thesethings. Everybody does. But for me,
yeah, that's just how horror,I mean, African horror can separate
from the Western.
(44:00):
Yeah, troops. Okay.
Yeah.
Nice. What do you enjoy, youknow, from, you know, being a filmmaker
and also a curator, like, withthe festival? Like, what do you enjoy
about those two. Those twothings that you do?
(44:20):
What do I enjoy? I. I love thefact that, like, I'm able to. To
also learn from otherfilmmakers, right? Because I get
to watch a lot of films. I getto really watch a lot. And a lot
of films that, you know, like,you know, just living really just
makes me fascinated at whatpeople could actually come up with.
(44:44):
So for me, it's. It's alsoabout learning from these filmmakers.
And so. So the. So thecreation. So. So whenever I'm creating
it, I am Thinking in terms ofthe filmmaker, like, what's. What
like, like I'm thinking ofways that the festival too could
benefit, you know, thefilmmakers. So it's not just about
(45:05):
them. What, you know, so it'snot just. Yeah. Screening their film.
So I'm. I'm also thinkingahead, you know, so what becomes
of their journey after. Afterthe festival. So, yeah, so I, I really
like being on, you know, onboth ends because whenever I, you
(45:28):
know, I attended a filmfestival, like the last one I attended
in Lagos, that's where in yourscreen premiered. I liked that. You
know, I like the, you know,the, like the recognition actually
given to filmmakers. So. Yes.So, like, I really, really liked
(45:49):
it. And it's something, youknow, I would like. I'm trying to
learn also with the festival.
Yeah. I mean, congrats onwinning the audience choice awards
at sorrel 16 festival.
Thank you.
How was that like, you know,showing your film to the audience,
(46:10):
experiencing with them. Howwas that experience for you?
It was very, I mean, it wasvery intimate. It was very inspiring.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was really, reallyinspiring. Because procedure to be
(46:32):
precise, there are, you know,filmmakers that I really admire in
Nigeria. I really admire theirstyle, but, you know, I've. I've
never really understood whytheir style is different, you know,
why their style in filmmakingis. It's not just like you could
(46:53):
feel the artistry in their. Intheir films. You could feel it different.
You could feel the differencein it. So there are filming that
I've really admired for, youknow, a long time, and having my
film screen in a, you know, ina festival that they created because
I remember sending the film tocj when the film, you know, when
(47:16):
I, I finished, I rounded upthe film. I remember sending it to
him and then he, you know, andthen he was happy to, you know, to
have it in the officialcompetition at the festival. I was
quite honored, to be honest. Iwas quite honored. And then you also
getting to meet otherfilmmakers that are, you know, like,
(47:40):
you could tell that they areartists. So it felt, it felt like,
like I've met my people, like,like, you know, so I liked the. I
liked the experience. Andthen, then to even finally win the
award. Yeah, I was, I. I don'tthink I expected that. I was just
(48:03):
very thankful that my film wasscreening. That was just. All this
was so winning was like, ah,it felt like. It felt like, yeah,
I mean, like, it felt like avery big validation to me.
Yeah.
(48:23):
You know, my work, it feltlike a very big validation. So it
Also, you know, boosted myconfidence, like the confidence in
myself.
Yeah. Nice. What are youworking on? Are there other things
you're excited to explore?
I'm just looking forward toexploring, to be honest. I'm not
(48:46):
looking forward to. I'm justlooking forward to exploring genres,
stories, you know? Yeah, Idon't. I think that's it.
Yeah. And are you working onanything new?
Well, I was working onsomething new. We always look at
(49:08):
something you say, yeah, sure.It's just early stages.
Okay. All right. So, I mean,as a filmmaker, as a festival founder,
there are things that canhappen within the Nigerian creative
space that will make, youknow, the way you do things a lot
(49:31):
easier. So like, for youwithin this industry, what improvements
do you want to see?
I'm just looking forward toimprovements on the. On the story
styles. Like, they just havemore kind of story styles and around
(49:54):
to have variety and not justone kind of story.
Nice. And how can people keepup with your work? Like, where can
they go to know what you're up to?
Yeah, I mean, I'm always onInstagram. I post some of my works
on Instagram.
Okay. Do you particularly haveany advice for young filmmakers?
(50:21):
I guess you're. You're kind ofin the early stages of your career,
but like, what has helped youget to this point so far and. Yeah.
Would you like to share thatwith young filmmakers?
Well, when you say youngfilmmakers, I wonder what kind of
filmmaker.
First time filmmakers.
(50:44):
Okay. I don't consider myselfstolid enough to give any advice.
Yeah. But I'll just say whatis currently working for me? To experience
life, to really pay attentionand be aware of life. Everything
(51:07):
that is going on around you,things that you are feeling, people
that you are saying, justreally get to experience life deeply.
Because I think life is ourgreatest inspiration as artists.
All right, thanks, Ineoha forcoming on the Nigerian Filmmaker.
(51:27):
Really enjoyed this chat.
Thank you very much for having me.
We have come to the end ofthis episode. Remember to rate and
review the podcast. You canalso follow me on Instagram for Facebook
and X at Seligo Film and thepodcast at Niger Film Port. You can
now support the podcast byclicking on the link in the show
notes. See you on the nextepisode. Have a good one.
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