The Ibadan Indie Film Festival (IFA) came last week with its 2025 edition — a bold, emotionally charged celebration anchored in the theme “IFA IS HOME.” This year’s festival doubled down on its commitment to Ibadan as both a creative hub and a cultural sanctuary, reaffirming the city’s place in Nigeria’s growing independent film movement.
The three-day programme, which we attended, gathered filmmakers, students, film workers, academics, and cinephiles from across the country for screenings, workshops, conversations, and the much-anticipated Ibadan Indie Film Awards.
“IFA Is Home”: A Theme Rooted in Belonging
This year’s theme wasn’t just symbolic, it guided the curation, attendance, and broader intention of the festival.
Festival Director Moses Ipadeola described the theme as a deliberate return to IFA’s origins:
“This year, we believe the moment has come to deepen that connection and focus intentionally on the filmmakers of Ìbàdàn. It’s a place where local stories and voices are highlighted and celebrated.”
Festival Founder Chukwu Martin echoed this:
“We want to show off filmmakers creating from Ìbàdàn and those who hold the city dear, as a home for creativity and revitalization.”y
Since launching in 2022, IFA has developed into one of Nigeria’s most significant indie platforms, elevating new voices while preserving the city’s long-standing relationship with cinematic experimentation.
Screenings, Conversations, and Community
This year’s programme brought together a broad slate of short films spanning fiction, experimental cinema, documentary, student productions, and hybrid works. Many of the screenings included Q&A sessions that placed emerging filmmakers in direct conversation with their audiences.
The festival also hosted workshops on visual storytelling, indie funding, story development, and production techniques contributing to what has become one of IFA’s strongest traditions: building capacity at the grassroots level.
IFA 2025 Award Winners and Nominations
Below is the full list of categories, nominees, and winners as announced at the 2025 Ibadan Indie Film Awards ceremony.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMA
Recipient: Sir Ola Balogun
A tribute to the legendary filmmaker whose pioneering work laid foundations for modern Nigerian cinema.
BEST STORYTELLING
Beyond Olympic Glory
Telephone
Ranti Ronu — Winner
DEMAS NWOKO AWARD (BEST EXPERIMENTAL)
In Our Dreams We Fly
First Blood — Winner
Together Apart
Home
JURY AWARD (SPIRIT OF IFA)
Together Apart
In Our Dreams We Fly — Winner
Telephone
BEST ACTOR
Adunolaoluwa Osilowo (Isekonu)
Favour Etim (Asake’s Sin)
Festus Osas Miracle (In Our Dreams We Fly)
Uche Mary Odindo (Together Apart)
Damilola Oni (Telephone)
Daniel Adeshina (Telephone) — Winner
Idowu ‘Iya Rainbow’ Phillips (Ola)
Zinah Ndubueze (Home)
Jide Ibitoye (Ranti Ronu)
Martha Ehinome (Tell It No More)
BEST DIRECTOR
Fimisinuola Adejonwo — Telephone (Winner)
Festus Obehi Destiny — In Our Dreams We Fly
Shedrack Salami — Beyond Olympic Glory
Damilare Williams-Shire — Together Apart
Blue Adekunle — Ranti Ronu
BEST SCREENPLAY
Ranti Ronu — Winner
Isekonu
Tell It No More
Together Apart
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Telephone — Winner
Mother
Asake’s Sin
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mother
Together Apart — Winner
Ranti Ronu
In Our Dreams We Fly
MOST PROMISING INDIE FILMMAKER
Festus Obehi Destiny — In Our Dreams We Fly (Winner)
Damilare Williams-Shire — Together Apart
Fimisinuola Adejonwo — Telephone
BEST INDIE POSTER
Market People
Ranti Ronu — Winner
Together Apart
Happy Times
Mother
IFA BEST INSPIRATIONAL FILM
Winner: Beyond Olympic Glory (Dir. Shedrack Salami)
A Festival Growing into Its Future
IFA 2025 marks the festival’s most community-driven edition yet, bridging nostalgia, innovation, and intention. Its commitment to young filmmakers, regional voices, and experiments in form reflects a festival steadily cementing its place in Nigeria’s cultural landscape.
From the emotional responses during screenings to the robust conversations in hallways and courtyard spaces, this year made one thing clear:
Ibadan is not just a backdrop, it is a filmmaking home.
Nollycritic will continue to spotlight standout films from the festival in separate reviews and features.
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