Some films fill a cinema on popcorn alone. Others earn their applause on the festival circuit. Night of Shorts aims to bring both together.
Founded by Abiodun Odu and Heavens Obule, the event held its fifth edition on Saturday, October 10, at Agip Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos, screening eight films selected from over 180 submissions.
“We aim to blur the lines between popcorn films and festival films with Night of Shorts,” Odu says.
Hosted by Uche Cheka Elumelu and Imotunde Adeyemo, the evening moved through comedy, horror, thriller and drama, drawing laughter and tears from the audience. Here are the eight films screened and what stayed with us:
Mr Rogers (19 minutes, Drama / Horror)
A young man returns home with his wife and daughter, Abigail, to help his father care for his sick mother. From the moment they arrive, they sense that something is wrong. When Abigail unknowingly brings forbidden fruits into the house, the consequences unfold that night. Written by Daniel Ehimen and Aaliyah Salia, directed by Daniel Ehimen, and produced by Daniel Ehimen, Oladayo Oladejo and Omoyeni Sholabomi Disu, the film features Yusrah Ayinde, Demi Banwo, Imoikor Joseph, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Princess Obuseh, Kunle Coker and Francis Oyinlola Bakare. The film draws horror from a familiar folktale, a family caring for a sick mother and a child unaware of what she has brought into their home.
Service Charge (5 minutes, Comedy)
A corps member finally gets an apartment, but the service charge she pays to the house agent never seems to be enough. The landlord keeps asking, and convinced that the charges will never end, she decides to take the law into her own fist. Written and directed by Tomi Folowosele and produced by Babatunde Lawal, the film features Joy Nmezi, Ogbolu Bobby and Gregory Ojefua. On the surface, it is one tenant’s battle with a landlord, but underneath, it speaks to the government and to people in high positions, and it does so through subtext rather than being on the nose. It trusts the audience to catch what is really being said.
Circles (11 minutes, Psychological Drama)
Circles follows a young woman living with hyperphantasia, and the way her mind keeps circling back to the worst. Adapted from the short story “Sweets and Chocolates” by Aminat Sanni-Kamal, the film is credited to Allen Onyige as screenplay writer and director, and Precious Iroagalachi as producer. The cast features Sharon Rotimi, Kingsley Nwachukwu and others. The protagonist’s tendency to imagine the worst feels familiar. We have all feared how a situation might turn out before giving it a chance. But the film does not stop at fear. It asks: what if it ends right?
Adigun: Outlaw from the New World (12 minutes, Thriller)
Adigun is an experimental AI proof-of-concept short, written, directed and edited by Abiodun Odu, with Heavens Obule serving as the project manager under Take One Productions. The characters and attention to detail give audiences something to connect with beyond the film’s use of AI.
Mr Bold (14 minutes, Drama)
Written and directed by Aiman Morounfolu Mimiko, produced by Kaelo Iyizoba and Jammal Ibrahim, Mr Bold follows a young Nigerian boy who, in a bid to connect with his older brother, desecrates his school’s mosque. The film features Muhammed Oyelade, Abdulhamid Opeloyelu, Yemi Blaq, Tunde Adeyemo, and others. The story alone would have carried it, but it is the performances of the child actors that lift it from good to excellent. The film is also deeply nostalgic. It takes you back to growing up with your siblings, to the lengths we went to be noticed by the ones we looked up to, and there is no better reminder of that childhood than this film.
Silenced (30 minutes, Crime / Drama / Thriller)
Written, produced and directed by Feyifunmi Oginni, Silenced features Onyinye Odokoro, Mike Afolarin and other fantastic actors, and it left us silenced for the night. After a fight with her boyfriend over her decision to keep her virginity until marriage, a young woman steps out for a walk and is abducted by police officers. What follows is a violation that no one should face, and certainly not at the hands of the people sworn to protect us. It leaves us with a question: if the law enforcers break the law, who do we report to? As sad as that sounds, even the film does not have the answer, and that is exactly why it stays with you.
Leila (30 minutes, Thriller)
Directed by Abiodun Odu and produced by Heavens Obule, Leila features Toluwani George, Linda Ejiofor, Maggie Osuome, Patrick Diabuah and Favour Etim. The film follows Esiri, an unusual young girl who hates human interaction. Hoping to cure her loneliness, her divorced mother gets her a digital assistant, Leila, and what begins as a gift becomes an encounter neither of them expected.
Hussaini (18 minutes, Drama)
Directed by Orire Nwani and produced by Josh Olaoluwa, Hussaini is the winner of Best Short Film at the 12th AMVCA, and it features Abba Ali Zaky as Hussaini, a commercial motorcyclist in a low-income community, with Ijapari Ben-Hirki and Tina Alfred. His wife is nearing labour, his mother arrives from Kano with traditional remedies, and what begins as an ordinary day slowly gathers weight. Inspired by true events, the film is restrained, with its performances carrying the emotional weight. It has a real chance of breaking your heart.
Night of Shorts 5.0 has ended, but its eight films deserve to be seen beyond that evening. For now, they leave us with stories to remember while we wait for the sixth edition.
OYA Magazine was a media partner for Night of Shorts 5.0.
Photo courtesy of Take One Productions.
