Filmjoint, founded by Gbenga Adeoti, was created out of the necessity to boost the identity of Nigerian and international short films. Worried, as a filmmaker himself, about the second-class look and attention given to Nigerian and international short films by the audience, distributors and even filmmakers themselves, Adeoti decided to make a business and financial […]
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Filmjoint, founded by Gbenga Adeoti, was created out of the necessity to boost the identity of Nigerian and international short films. Worried, as a filmmaker himself, about the second-class look and attention given to Nigerian and international short films by the audience, distributors and even filmmakers themselves, Adeoti decided to make a business and financial case for short films by creating Filmjoint, which has The Filmjoint Premiere and The Filmjoint Awards. And on 3rd, July, 2025, in one of the accommodating cinema rooms at Ebony Life the Filmjoint team continued its relentless spotlight and positioning of Nigerian short films and their filmmakers.
The vision of The Filmjoint is to recognize and establish a market for short films, popularizing and celebrating outstanding works and filmmakers in this regard. Its initiative, The Filmjoint Premiere creates a suitable platform for motivating filmmakers of short films to continually maintain excellence, providing them with the opportunity for due recognition and financial rewards for their commitment to the craft.
With audiences cut across the media, film journalists, filmmakers, industry executives and enthusiasts the 2025 Filmjoint Premiere screened selected short films: Annabella Anyagbade’s What I Do Not Know Will Not Kill Me, an advocacy-esque documentary about the need for more advocacy around cancer especially as it affects Northern Nigeria women, Khaliya Barbara Minishi’s Inheritance, a story of a lady’s conflict with a family that seems care less for her existence, Thomas Negovan & Aaron Sharps’ Aurora which is hard to describe because of its overwhelming convoluted nature, Wapah Ezeigwe’s Shall We Meet Tonight, the queercentric story of two Nigerian women who must decide to choose between societal or personal expectations and Shedrack Salami’s Beyond Olympic Glory, a documentary on the relentless Cynthia Ogunsemilore, a professional Nigerian boxer who has and is learning to defy the limiting structure of the Nigerian society and systems.
The event had short panel sessions featuring Moses Babatope, Nile Media Entertainment Group CEO, Omotayo Inakoju, Entertainment &IP Lawyer and Head of Legal at Ebony Life Group and Desmond Ebuwa Ekunwe, a film producer. Their short-lived conversation dwells on “The Short Path to Distribution.” As the panel will reveal, there isn’t a short path towards distributing films. And with how hitherto audiences’ taste has been curated, it appears almost impracticable exhibiting short films in a Nigerian cinema. However, this shouldn’t dissuade filmmakers and exhibitors in exploring the possibility of this especially as the world keeps evolving and understanding of entertainment too. Inakoju spoke about the importance of protecting and monetizing IP rights and briefly detailed clauses filmmakers should look out for before signing enticing distribution deals. An interesting question and conversation that the panelists asked is this: should a filmmaker solely decide to just make short films without considering feature films?
The films are visual proof of the efforts filmmakers put into making. And the premiere’s attendees are justification of the marketability of Nigerian and international short films. Filmjoint’s intention is to promote short films, create a sustainable market for short films, give young filmmakers the opportunity to network and meet potential investors, sponsors and others. And with this event, it faithfully shows its commitment.
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