All roads lead to the ancient city of Warri in Delta State tomorrow as veteran filmmaker and administrator, Alex Eyengho drags filmmakers and creative economy investors to the maiden Warri International Film Festival, WIFF.
The event scheduled to start in Warri South, to Koko in Warri North and later Warri South-West, will hold from Monday, December 8 to Friday December 12, 2025.
The festival which aims to revive Warri’s film-making legacy and create a film village, already has the endorsement of prominent Warri personalities like Richard Mofe Damijo and Alibaba Akpobome.
The festival is also endorsed by Hon. Chief Thomas Ereyitomi (Warri Federal Constituency) and Chief Ayiri Emami, the Ologbotsere of Warri, while the Chairman of Warri Local Government, will be the chief host. The Chairman, will also be among awardees on the award night, during the film festival, due to the value he has added to the local government.
DETAILS OF HOW THE EVENT WILL REALLY GO DOWN
Comrade Alex Eyengho, founder of WIFF, has pledged that the event will become an annual celebration, positioning Warri as a “beehive” of cinematic activity. The Chairman of Warri Local Government Area will serve as chief host and will be honoured on the award night for his contributions to the locality.
Workshops and masterclasses will be led by industry professionals, aiming to reignite creative interest in Warri, once the film hub of Delta State.
Bamidele Adelusi’s “SUKY” directed by Ola Cardoso has been announced as the opening feature film while the closing night will screen “Break of Dawn”, produced by Temisan Ereyitomi and directed by Umanu Elijah.
Meanwhile, the feature film jury, chaired by veteran filmmaker, Amayo Uzo Philips, and comprising other notable jurors including Prof. Tony Adah, Miss Adenike Ayodele, Mr. Theophilus Akatugba and Mr. Joe Dudun, have selected nominations from over 100 submissions from Africa and the diaspora, to be honored at the gala night/closing ceremony.
A total of 23 feature and short films are competing across 11 categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Director and Best Actor among others. SUKY” leads the lineup with 11 nominations followed by Temisan Ereyitomi’s “Break of Dawn” with 10 nominations. Other nominees are: Ghana’s “Heroes of Africa (five nominations); Zimbadwe’s “NYANGA (seven nominations); Cameroon’s ‘Dead Man’s Wish ( six nominations); Uganda’s ‘Dog City’ and the United States’ ‘What Do You Do” with one nomination each in the Best Short Film category, including Indian ‘Turtle Story’ that also got one nomination.
LIST OF NOMINATIONS
(A). BEST SHORT FILM
1. Dog City — Uganda
2. On Our Skin — Nigeria
3. What Do You Do? — USA
4. Turtle Story — India
5. The Red Room — Nigeria
6. Ebiren Re — Nigeria
7 Aisha — Cameroon
8 With Love From Bayelsa — Nigeria
(B) BEST FEATURE FILM
1. HEROES OF AFRICA — Ghana
2 SUKY — Nigeria
3. BREAK OF DAWN — Nigeria
4. NYANGA — Zimbabwe
5. DEAD MAN’S WISH — Cameroon
(C) BEST UPCOMING ACTOR
1. James Damilare Solomon (in SUKY) – Nigeria
2. Korede Lawal (in ON OUR SKIN) – Nigeria
3. Chia Doreen (in AISHA) – Cameroon
4. SSENKUBUGE ALI (in DOG CITY) – Uganda
(D). BEST ACTOR (Female)
1. Bimbo Ademoye (in SUKY) – Nigeria
2. Moet Abebe (in BREAK OF DAWN) – Nigeria
3. Ndamo Damarise (in DEAD MAN’S WISH) – Cameroon
4 Queeneth Agbor (in A Day With The Past) – Nigeria
(E). BEST ACTOR (Male)
1. Olarotimi Fakunle (in Suky)
2. Bernard Aduse Poku (in Heroes Of Africa) – Ghana
3. Collin Ncube (in NYANGA) – Zimbabwe
4. Stan Nze (in Break Of Dawn) – Nigeria
5. Otia Vitalis Suh (in Dead Man’s Wish) – Cameroon
6. Kelechi Udegbe (in A Day With The Past) – Nigeria
(F) BEST PRODUCER/FILM
1. Bamidele Adelusi (SUKY) – Nigeria
2. Talent Chitauro. (NYANGA) – Zimbabwe
3. Matilda Asare (HEROES OF AFRICA) – Ghana
4. Temisan Ereyitomi (BREAK OF DAWN) – Nigeria
(G). BEST DIRECTOR
1. FRANK GARBIN (Heroes Of Africa) — Ghana
2. OLA CARDOSO (SUKY) — Nigeria
3. Eddie Ndhlovu, Jakov Dakovic (NYANGA) — Zimbabwe
4. Tebo Njei (DEAD MAN’S WISH) — Cameroon
5 Umanu Elijah (BREAK OF DAWN) — Nigeria
(H). BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. SUKY — Nigeria
2. DEAD MAN’S WISH — Cameroon
3. BREAK OF DAWN — Nigeria
4. NYANGA — Zimbabwe
(I) BEST EDITING
1. BREAK OF DAWN — Nigeria
2. DEAD MAN’S WISH — Cameroon
3. NYANGA — Zimbabwe
4. HEROES OF AFRICA — Ghana
5 SUKY — Nigeria
(J) BEST SCREENPLAY
1. DEAD MAN’S WISH — Cameroon
2. HEROES OF AFRICA — Ghana
3. SUKY — Nigeria
4. BREAK OF DAWN — Nigeria
5 A DAY WITH THE PAST — Nigeria
(K) BEST SOUNDTRACK
1. HEROES OF AFRICA — Ghana
2. SUKY — Nigeria
3. NYANGA — Zimbabwe
4. BREAK OF DAWN –?Nigeria
(L) BEST LIGHTING
1. HEROES OF AFRICA — Ghana
2. SUKY — Nigeria
3. NYANGA — Zimbabwe
4. BREAK OF DAWN — Nigeria.
5.
