S16 Film Festival 2025: Short Films Like My Jebba Story and Obi Is a Boy Capture Audience Hearts
The 2025 edition of S16 Film Festival in Lagos (Dec 1–5) wrapped up to strong critical and audience acclaim, with several standout short films, including My Jebba Story and Obi Is a Boy, earning top honours and sparking conversation about memory, identity, and social issues.
My Jebba Story, directed by Kagho Idhebor, blends documentary, photo-essay, and narrative non-fiction to depict life on Jebba Street in Lagos. In stark black-and-white, the film captures the faces and fleeting moments of traders, children, wanderers, turning everyday hustle and lives into a poignant tribute to memory and place. Its raw intensity and nostalgic undercurrent struck a chord with viewers, earning it the festival’s Audience Choice Award.
Obi Is a Boy, from director Dika Ofoma, tells the story of Obi, an effeminate young man returning home after his mother’s death to face estrangement and social rejection. Through minimal dialogue and powerful visual storytelling, the film explores identity, grief, and acceptance. Its most striking moment comes when Obi dons his late mother’s traditional attire and leaves, a silent but defiant act of claiming his truth. The short’s subtle yet potent portrayal of societal stigma and personal courage earned it the festival’s inaugural AFP Critics Prize.
Other Noteworthy Films & Themes
Animated short About Sarah by S.A.D. Alaka offers a reflective, melancholic take on love, memory, and longing, though critics felt its tone and execution lacked emotional spark. Still, Alaka’s effort was recognized with the festival’s Rising Star Award.
Experimental works such as Traces of the Sun and other shorts challenged conventional storytelling: from fragmented narratives to minimalist horror in Keys, and meditations on time, memory, and identity through unconventional forms.
Festival’s Larger Impact
Beyond film screenings, S16’s atmosphere was described as warm, welcoming and deeply hopeful, a space where filmmakers, critics and audiences engaged in thoughtful discussions about the state of Nigerian cinema, representation, and the kinds of stories that need to be told.
With the recognition of films like My Jebba Story and Obi Is a Boy, the 2025 S16 Film Festival reaffirmed its role as a vibrant platform for emerging talent and courageous storytelling, spotlighting voices and experiences often underrepresented, while pushing boundaries of form and narrative in African short filmmaking.