Reflection on A Third Space’s On Classics

Ifeoma Nkiruka Chukwuogo’s Bariga Sugar, an empathetic and thoughtful look into the realities of Nigerian sex workers and sex work, was released in 2016. Dika Ofoma’s A Japa Tale, which crammed conversations around religion, abortion rights, migration, the Nigerian dream and love in its twenty-seven minute timeline, was released in 2023. Korede Azeez’s With Difficulty Comes Ease, feature length title, takes an unhurried and contemplative approach to discussing identity and agency in a conservative environment. On 17th July, 2025, Nelson C.J‘s  curated A Third Space, an alternative space for thinking, relaxing and holding conversations around media, in partnership with Amabile Di Rosa, held a curated film screening tagged On Classics featuring the previously mentioned titles. 

Selected by Nigerian film journalists, Daniel Okechukwu;A Japa Tale, Nigerian actress and director, Uzoamaka Power;Bariga Sugar and Nigerian journalist, critic and researcher Edwin Okolo;With Difficulty Comes Ease, the A Third Space On Classics films made by these directors at the earliest stage of their career holds the marking of a Nigerian film classic. And the intimate, art-focused and intellectually-framed post-screening conversations featuring these film selectors and audience members attempt to highlight these markings. 

Defining what makes a classic film is a somewhat subjective endeavor as the metrics are in a constant state of flux and often elusive.  However, a classic film is prone to have lasting impact, engage timeless themes and influence filmmaking in a way. With these three metrics, a film like Tunde Kelani’s Saworoide that constantly leaves audiences in awe of the veteran director’s artistic and political consciousness, Arie and Chuko Esiri’s Eyimofe that tackle the timeless issue of the Nigerian government as the biggest obstacles to its citizens’ dream and Kemi Adetiba’s Wedding Party or King of Boys that redefined how Nigerian films and series approaches weddings and political crime thrillers are uncontestable Nigerian film classics. Azeez’s With Difficulty Comes Ease, Ofoma’s A Japa Tale and Chukwuogo’s Bariga Sugar are the panelists who contend they have the inscriptions of a Nigerian film classic. 

What was interesting to note during the conversations isn’t just the palpable excitement of the panelists who have selected the films but that of the audience members who are disillusioned with the Nigerian film industry productions due to years of shoddy cinematic outings. In these audiences responses to each screened films, what became pivotal is the importance of alternative spaces that screen non-mainstream Nigerian films, the place of the media in searching and radiating light on Nigerian indie filmmakers and communities and the place of Nigerian filmmakers, mainstream and independent, in producing films with non-hole-ridden plots filled with technical excellence.  The Nigerian film culture is dying or has died. And this film screening, intimate conversation and cultural excavation and engagement are subtle but coordinated efforts in awakening it. 

The film screening ended on a warm note with an exchange of smiles, words, hugs and contact. Everyone left feeling filled, entertained and intellectually stimulated. It’s rare to find a Nigerian film doing this. It is much more rare to find three films successively doing this. And that’s the importance of this alternative space. And, the passionate responses to the films also show that it’s possible to obsessively and intellectually discuss a Nigerian film. The Nigerian film culture might be dying but this is a space trying to keep it alive.