Canon Central & North Africa (CCNA) hosted an exclusive screening of Racket Queen, a short film directed by award-winning filmmaker Nora Awolowo, on Monday, November 10, 2025, at EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event brought together filmmakers, media professionals, and creative enthusiasts to celebrate a powerful story of love, loss, and resilience. At the same time, it reinforces Canon’s ongoing commitment to empowering African storytellers.
Directed by Nora Awolowo, Racket Queen explores themes of determination and emotional strength. It captures the essence of authentic African narratives through striking visuals. The film was shot entirely on the Canon EOS C400 cinema camera. Underscoring Canon’s dedication to elevating local storytelling with world-class imaging technology.
Speaking at the event, Rashad Ghani, B2C Business Unit Director at Canon Central & North Africa, emphasized Canon’s mission to support the region’s creative ecosystem through partnerships that blend innovation with imagination.
“Racket Queen is more than a film; it’s an example of what happens when cutting-edge technology meets the artistry of African filmmakers,” he noted.
Nora Awolowo also shared insights into her creative process and collaboration with Canon. Describing the project as a milestone in her filmmaking journey. “Working with Canon on this project allowed us to tell a deeply emotional story with tools that enhanced our visual storytelling. It’s a reminder that African stories deserve to be told with the same quality and precision as anywhere else in the world,” she said.
She further revealed that the story was inspired by her personal experience with her parents. And their initial hesitation toward her pursuit of a career in cinematography—an emotion that helped fuel the narrative of Racket Queen.
This marks Canon and Nora Awolowo’s second collaboration. Following their previous work on the AMVCA-nominated short film What Are You Truly Afraid Of? Making Racket Queen a project to look out for.
Racket Queen follows the story of Bamise (Pamilerin Ayodeji), a young girl deeply passionate about tennis, supported by her ailing mother (Tunbosun Aiyedehin). Written by Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, the film also features Kayode Jnr Ojuolape and Folu Storms.
The screening concluded with an interactive session featuring the cast, crew, and Canon representatives. Offering attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Racket Queen and its innovative cinematic techniques.
Through initiatives like this, Canon continues to strengthen its bond with Africa’s creative community. Thereby fostering innovation, empowering filmmakers, and inspiring a new generation of visual storytellers.
See the trailer for the short below!
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