HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FUND
Bola Yahaya
Obodo Artist Fund, 2024.
The Human Rights Film Fund by Obodo is dedicated to amplifying marginalised voices and supporting narratives that advocate for the basic rights and freedoms that all humans are entitled to, regardless of their ethnicity, sex, nationality, religion, or any other status. We encourage submissions employing diverse storytelling approaches, including documentaries, personal stories, animated films, and experimental projects, as long as they effectively convey human rights narratives and inspire empathy, understanding, and action.
Here are the recipients of the 2024 Obodo Human Rights Film Fund! Congratulations to Ayo Lawson and Rete Poki, two visionary filmmakers whose powerful work is set to challenge norms and amplify marginalized voices.
AYO LAWSON
RETE POKI
AYO LAWSON
A multifaceted filmmaker, writer, and director, is on a mission to reshape Nigerian cinema by championing representation and telling stories that elevate marginalised communities.
Set in a shadowy forest haunted by a masquerade, Unburied uses supernatural storytelling to reflect very real violence and the courage it takes to exist authentically. Unburied follows the journey of Kai, a non-binary person navigating identity, rejection, and resilience in the face of societal and spiritual erasure. It's a bold and tender exploration of queerness, fear, and resistance in Nigeria.
UNBURIED FILM
RETE POKI
A Nigerian writer, director, and photographer explores themes of community, identity, and security. Through their work, Rete constructs intimate, subversive images of safer worlds, challenging us to imagine a reality where vulnerability and connection take centre stage.
Traces of the Sun is an experimental essay film that explores the multifaceted nature of love in Nigeria through conversations with friends, lovers, siblings, and parents. Blending essay and documentary form, the film drifts between montages of affection and recorded recollections, asking: “What is love to you, a Nigerian?”
