Nigerian filmmakers are eyeing the worldwide highlight as a delegation of rising Nigerian documentary filmmakers is at the moment in Biarritz to take part in FIPADOC, the primary main worldwide documentary competition.
The competition, which kicked off on January 23, 2026, will run till January 30, 2026. It’s supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria, in partnership with StoryMi Academy, a French-Nigerian organisation. These filmmakers will current documentary tasks in improvement to worldwide producers, platforms, and broadcasters.
This initiative goals to raise Nigerian documentary expertise on the worldwide stage, amplify their voices and strengthen inventive connections between Europe and the African continent.
“This initiative as soon as once more demonstrates our dedication to supporting Nigeria’s cultural and artistic industries, notably by opening pathways to worldwide markets for African movie and audiovisual creatives,” mentioned Christophe Pécot, regional audiovisual Attaché on the French Embassy in Nigeria.
The filmmakers chosen to attend FIPADOC are a part of the StoryMi Documentary Fellowship, a seven-month programme connecting Nigerian and French documentary professionals.
Initiated by the French-Nigerian StoryMi Academy in 2021 by the journalist, Sophie Bouillon and supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria, it provides rising filmmakers mentorship, manufacturing help and worldwide publicity.
The 2026 cohort contains Ayodele Isaac Ifeoluwa, Babalola Olayinka Eno, Bulus Blessing, Christopher Surprise and Okoh Religion Chukwuemeka, 5 documentary filmmakers, whose work provides recent views on the social realities of Africa’s most populous nation.
Throughout their tasks, the filmmakers discover unseen tales, from the legacy of the Nok civilisation to the aftermath of the EndSARS protests, group displacement, the journey of a teenage chess prodigy and a movie exploring dance as a bridge between folks in Northern Nigeria.
These movies provide a portrait of right now’s Nigeria, difficult stereotypes and reflecting the nation’s complexity.
They had been mentored for seven months by famend Nigerian and French instructors like Ike Nnaebue, Chika Oduah, Marjolaine Grappe, Louise Monlaü and Joel Kachi Benson, the primary Nigerian filmmaker to obtain an Emmy Award for his documentary, Madu.
“That is the fourth time that younger filmmakers from our programme have had the chance to attend worldwide documentary festivals,” mentioned Sophie Bouillon, founding father of StoryMi.
“These experiences permit them to know the trade’s expectations whereas constructing knowledgeable community that provides them visibility throughout the continent and past,” Bouillon.
“Many quick movies produced throughout earlier coaching cycles have travelled to dozens of festivals and gained quite a few awards. We want our new fellows the identical success!,” she added.
A particular session, devoted to the Nigerian abilities and documentary panorama, will make it possible to Nigerian filmmakers to current their tasks in entrance of main worldwide commissioners, consumers and networks looking for to fee, co-produce or purchase content material.
The delegation’s journey will conclude in Paris with an unique screening for French trade professionals, showcasing the 5 documentaries and additional strengthening skilled connections between Nigerian and European documentary ecosystems.
