Chee Keong Cheung on Bridging Worlds Through Film: The Making of “Son of the Soil”

Son of The Soil, an action thriller film set in Nigeria, had an eventful premiere at the 10th edition of Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF 2025) late September, where it won three awards: Best Film, Best International Showcase, and Best Director.

Directed by British-Chinese filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung and co-produced with Andreas Roald (Sovereign Films CEO), Ioanna Karavela, Wingonia Ikpi of Boxonia Blueprint, and British-Nigerian Razaaq Adoti who also plays the lead role, Son of The Soil tells the story of Zion Ladejo, a former special operations soldier who, haunted by his past and seeking revenge, returns home after the brutal murder of his sister.

Looking back, director Cheong describes the festival outing as “an incredible honour”. “When you are making a film, you tend to be in quite a solitary place, working on the editing, sounds, and more,” he said in an exclusive with Culture Custodian. “So, having the first opportunity to share it with people and feel their reactions was amazing. The sense of community in that screening reminded me of why cinema is such a powerful medium.”

The accolades earned at BSIFF came as a pleasant surprise to the director who remains grateful to the organizers and jury for the opportunity to showcase the international project to an enthusiastic audience. With Son of The Soil, it was his first time filming in Nigeria, a testament to the power of international collaboration. Now, considering the budding success of the film, the director hopes to inspire more collaborations within Nigeria and across Africa.

The screenplay for Son of The Soil is credited to Razaaq Adoti, centering on a man’s journey of identity and self-discovery. The protagonist embarks on the quest for justice as he confronts systemic corruption, violence, and seeks redemption from his inner battles. From the get-go, according to Cheung, the production team were intentional about telling a profoundly human story within the framework of a classic action film that explores the concept of sacrifice and cost of justice.

The spark for an international collaborative project set in the heart of Africa came from initial conversations with a Los Angeles-based American film producer who had drawn Cheung’s attention to Nollywood and its potential. This made Cheung curious at first. Since the Nigerian film industry, also called Nollywood, was known for its prolificity, it made sense for the producer-director to make a film in the West African country. He reached out to Razaaq Adoti who he knew had blood ties with Nigeria, and, fuelled by optimism, said to him “What if we just go to Nigeria and make a film?”

In making the film, Cheung and Adoti had no major studio backing or government support. As visionaries, they were equipped with only an idea, which they refused to overthink. A suitable production model was developed to allow teams from both the UK and Nigeria. They brought in a few crew members from the UK who worked with the entire local team in Nigeria. Once in Nigeria, the international producers connected with Boxonia Blueprint, led by Wingonia Ikpi, through whose guidance and support they were able to build a sturdy local team. For distribution across Africa, they partnered with Nile Entertainment through Moses Babatope who was enthusiastic about the international interest and investment in the domestic industry. The whole approach to the production was highly procedural yet spontaneous, from figuring out locations to assembling crew  and building the story piece by piece.

The cast of Son of The Soil is an interesting blend of Nollywood veterans such as Ireti Doyle and Patience Ozokwor, and other industry favorites like Taye Arimoro, Philip Asaya, Damilola Ogunsi and Sharon Rotimi. It was possible to make effective casting choices with the help of Wingonia Ikpi who, functioning as casting director on the project,  already had an experience of how the industry worked. Cheung had watched countless audition tapes, seeking a dynamic presentation of heroes and villains who did not all look or feel the same. Some of the films he saw and studied for nuances in Nollywood cinematography and direction were Brotherhood, Gangs of Lagos and  The Black Book.

Perhaps the most conspicuous challenge with the production of Son of The Soil was its intense filming schedule. Shot within three weeks, the film required a lot of logistics and movement across multiple locations. In those moments, Cheung learnt to respect the style with which Nigerian film crews worked without necessarily imposing a foreign system. To him, it felt like making a large-scale independent film bristling with creativity, pacing and energy. “Making a film is never about one person,” Cheung emphasized, yet again acknowledging the contributions of the local crew and Boxonia Blueprint.

Cheung has worked across different continents, defying geographical boundaries in his filmmaking journey. He started making short films as a teenager, learning on the job about the business side of the industry. As he matured, he took special interest in action films, even owning a UK-based action studio, Action Extreme, through which he remains committed to creating action projects and developing talents. Over the years, he has directed several action films, including Underground, Bodyguard: A New Beginning, and Redcon–1. His experience across the British, Chinese and now Nigerian film industries has taught him the power of collaboration in traversing different realms of storytelling, and the importance of education in building creatives.

With each country, Cheung knows that the approach to filmmaking is unique. Though he recognizes financing and distribution as major challenges in global filmmaking, he believes that well-structured partnerships can open new markets and creative opportunities.

As Son of The Soil gears up for theatrical release across Nigerian and African cinemas this November, Cheung clings to the hope that the film becomes a catalyst for greater creative aspirations.