At the 13th Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Lagos, Nigerian filmmaker Adeniyi Ridwan, Tunisian filmmaker Nada Abdelkader, and Cameroonian filmmaker Eystein Young Dingha Jr. were awarded the highly regarded Nature, Environment, and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) grant. This grant, ranging from $3,500 to $4,500, allows each winner to produce an 8-minute documentary short centered on themes of nature and conservation—a critical focus as Africa grapples with environmental challenges and biodiversity preservation.
The NEWF initiative, which has become a cornerstone in amplifying African voices in environmental and wildlife filmmaking, aims to celebrate Africa’s rich natural heritage. By supporting emerging talents, NEWF provides a vital platform for African filmmakers to share stories that highlight the continent’s unique landscapes, wildlife, and the urgent issues of climate change and ecosystem preservation. The initiative’s collaboration with AFRIFF this year led to the Producers’ Lab Pitch, an intensive two-day workshop designed to identify and nurture early-career storytellers passionate about environmental themes.
Adeniyi Ridwan, a filmmaker from Kaduna, Nigeria, won the grant with a compelling project that explores the disappearance of crocodiles from the Kaduna River. This documentary will delve into the causes behind the decline of these crocodiles, shedding light on Northern Nigeria’s ecosystems and the region’s often-overlooked conservation issues. With his team at the Ragari Film School in Kaduna, Ridwan will use the grant to fund all phases of his documentary, from research to production, in an effort to raise environmental awareness and inspire future conservationists.
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This year’s AFRIFF not only celebrated African cinema’s diversity but also reinforced the critical role of film in advocating for conservation. For emerging filmmakers like Ridwan, Abdelkader, and Dingha, this recognition provides a launchpad for impactful storytelling, ensuring African perspectives on environmental issues reach a global audience.
