by Ifeoluwa Olutayo
Over the last few years, there have been figures of increasing importance among the Indie practitioners of Nigeria’s cinematic landscape. One of those figures is ‘Chukwu Martin.
The actor, filmmaker, and curator can be found in a number of productions, spanning from plays to Africa Magic productions to films to directing his own films, which he refers to as “Plays & Rough plays.” Oga Mike, his latest project, screened at various festivals across Nigeria, most notably at the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF).
My focus, though, is on his community building. He is the founder of Film Rats and its resultant The Annual Film Mischief (TAFM) (first edition in March 2022), and he is also the founder of the Ibadan Indie Film Awards (known as IFA, also established in 2022), which is a platform to celebrate and award indie films in collaboration with the New Culture Studio. IFA also organises monthly screenings at the New Culture Studio, Mokola, Ibadan, to discover & inspire more indie filmmakers. In addition to this, he recently curated a selection of films at the international festival platform Afropolis, with the Film Rats Club, platforming many independent filmmakers.
I sat in conversation with him about work, life, and the importance of community.
Q: My first question is, why is community so important to you?
I have grown to understand the importance of belonging to a group of people who care about you and your creative work. People, you can share your ideas and visions without fear of judgment but rather constructive criticism. Growing a community often starts with a few trusted people, and then you begin to grow that circle over time. It is an arduous but worthy journey. I also grew up in the fellowship of a church; that served as a commune to find healing, and align with purpose, witnessing that idea of fellowship has stayed with & inspired me a lot.
I believe communities are a great way to grow, find confidence and purpose, and build lasting relationships, and they can help transform a person’s life beyond one’s creative process.
TAFM Abuja, 2024.
Q: How has it been working so far across these two platforms in building an indie community of filmmakers?
The experience has been fulfilling; observing the growth of an idea is a great feeling; however, that feeling is only an emotion, and the reality comes with a lot of challenges. I work with both communities as a separate entity, with the same goal, which is to discover and promote the works of indie filmmakers, with the same mission but different methods based on the community’s present need and the executives involved.
L-R: Moses Ipadeola (IFA Director), Georgina Duke (IFA, co-founder), ‘Chukwu Martin (Founder).
Q: How have these communities influenced how you make films?
The communities have not influenced the way I make films. Rather, they motivate me to continue to experiment with film, knowing there’s a platform to showcase it.
Q: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in building these platforms?
Managing personal career needs and serving the needs of the communities is top. One must put the needs of others first. Growing a community requires that we’re also discovering and developing skills amongst the members of the community, and for us to fully harness the potential, we need adequate funds and resources to execute projects and employ staff to work round the clock. However, with our meagre resources, we try to maximize our attempt to curate impactful programs.
Some Panelists at TAFM 2024 (L-R: Taiwo Egunjobi, Chinazaekpere Chukwu, Oluchi Nsofor, Moshood Fattah, Joseph Osamudiemen.
Q: Definitely, with this in mind, there must be sort of a feeling of belonging in these spaces you’ve fostered. How do you cultivate that investment in the space among every participant and member?
We try to get familiar with our members and their work. The point is, we really care. And we try to make sure that they are carried along as much as we also want them to be curious about community activities. We want filmmakers to be able to elevate each other’s works.
Q: In the final embers of October, the Film Rats curated a showing of films at Afropolis. What brought that about, and how did that situate in the context of creating more accessible screens for indie filmmakers?
It was a huge test for us; we were just concluding our film festival (TAFM), but we had to take the opportunity when it came. We’ll always take the hot steel as long as we get to showcase filmmakers & their works on the big screen or wherever there’s an audience, and Afropolis was that avenue for that too this year. I’m proud we pulled it off, thanks to the support of Blue Pictures Cinema & the Afropolis team led by the visionary Qudus Onikeku.
‘Chukwu Martin & Precious Iroagalachi (Festival Manager, TAFM 2024)
Q: With Film Rats and IFA, there’s also been a conscious effort to reimagine the annual film festival models into something that brings people together more often in the year, with the IFA monthly screenings and the Film Rats Club. How has this dynamic shaped the various communities they exist in?
We’re very stubborn about discovering and screening indie films from young filmmakers and engaging in constant conversations with their work to ensure that the filmmakers are able to study their films better through interactions with an audience & critics. The platform is for us to learn together, craft stronger narratives, and understand the business of our craft. We’re also creating a model that supports long-term employment opportunities.
Over the years, we’ve exposed people to managerial positions within our communities. Here we realise, there’s more behind the scenes. We’re constantly learning more about the process and making sure that curious young film enthusiasts who volunteer with us understand the intricacies of what goes on behind the scenes and are exposed to other aspects of film.
‘Chukwu Martin & Rufus Nwoko (House Manager, New Culture Studio & IFA executive).
Q: How do you situate the work you do in the context of growing the independent space in Nigerian cinema?
As a student of film invested in experimenting and discovering new ways to express my ideas, the work I do is rooted in finding ways to elevate the status of indie films & filmmakers. The industry needs to be exposed to the works of these artists, artists with a passion for experimentation and telling more nuanced stories.
I see the work I do in broader terms as a concerned citizen invested in creating an industry that unites the filmmakers, critics, and audiences into a community that is in constant engagement with itself, the films, and the filmmakers, creating a system that contributes to developing craft, especially for younger filmmakers, help them find mentorship, and educate audiences about embracing and appreciating these new voices. It’s a journey that needs the full collaboration of these creators to make it happen.
Q: The last edition of The Annual Film Mischief was held across four locations: Lagos, Abuja, Accra, and, for the first time, Dar Es Salaam. What motivated this expansion, and how has it been managing the needs of the local community in these ever-growing indie spaces?
The expansion is to further our efforts to create a larger community to build sustainable ecosystems for indie filmmakers. By providing our programme across multiple cities, we are creating intercultural connections, enabling filmmakers from diverse cultural backgrounds to exchange ideas and collaborate, which strengthens Africa’s indie film landscape as a whole. It’s a great task to manage, but we depend heavily on collaboration. We want TAFM’s programme to be able to reflect the diverse stories and creative aspirations of each region. It’s all a continuous study and work in progress.
Dela Aderanti Duvi (TAFM executive), TAFM Ghana.
Q: How have you approached cultivating safe spaces in these communities for marginalised voices?
Simply, we encourage open dialogue and the need to respect people’s opinions by engaging in progressive debates within the communities.
Q: In your opinion, what are the key ingredients for creating a long-lasting and resilient indie film community that can weather the challenges of the film industry?
First, discovering these storytellers who are daring to tell unique stories, and caring about them and their work. The filmmakers, in turn, must not just be storytellers but be advocates of community engagement and contribute to the appreciation of the works of their colleagues. With this kind of interest, then we can upskill and develop talent, inspire creative freedom, broaden audience engagement, create a one-channel distribution network, and open doors to both local and international partnerships. It takes resilience and the leaders of our community should remain committed and be accountable to the vision.
