Shorts Program 4: African Film Festival Atlanta 2026

Shorts Program 4: The Weight Of Becoming

A collection of 4 films that trace the quiet, often difficult evolution of identity, as characters confront who they are and who they are still becoming.

Kenya | 11 minutes 46 seconds

Fourteen-year-old champion swimmer Wendo is dreading the first day of practice with her swimming club after a long Christmas break. Her body has changed over the holidays. On the ride to the local gym, she endures teasing from her cheeky nine-year-old brother, Dede about these changes.

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Lydia Matata is a Kenyan filmmaker who makes films about the people, issues and experiences that move her. Lydia is also one of the writers of Country Queen, a Kenyan drama series available on Netflix and Arte. She is the director and the producer of Kenyan on Mars, a short documentary currently screening on Al Jazeera’s Africa Direct Platform.

She is currently developing a new documentary project, Chovu. The film was selected to participate in the American Film Showcase Documentary Residency in 2024. Also, she is currently developing her first feature film project, based on the short film Pepo Kali. The film recently won a production prize at the Red Sea Film Festival’s Souk Market.

Nigeria | 29 minutes 41 seconds

After eight years of dating, Chinasa’s boyfriend Kingsley, breaks off their relationship right after her seventh abortion. She confronts the depth of her faith when she is faced with the challenge of forgiving him several years later for her healing and that of her family.

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Peter Inyang is a filmmaker and screenwriter who has directed award-winning short films with local acclaim and international recognition. With experience spanning high and medium-budget feature films, blockbusters, and web series, Peter has contributed to various productions as an assistant director and creative consultant.

Known for his keen ability to effectively execute creative visions, Peter brings a sharp storytelling instinct to every project. Over the past seven years, he has honed his craft as a visual storyteller across filmmaking, advertising, photography, and content creation, working with brands and clients in diverse industries.

Botswana |

The story of a father and son whose relationship is pushed to its limits during an unexpected car breakdown. Set against the backdrop of modern Botswana, the film explores the deep-seated tension between traditional generational values and the perspectives of contemporary youth. As the two characters navigate their physical and emotional isolation, the narrative delves into critical social themes, including the high rates of male suicide and the challenges of identity and mental health within the community. Through this intimate look at a family in crisis, the film serves as a poignant commentary on resilience, reconciliation, and the evolving nature of fatherhood in Africa.

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Johnny Russell creates narratives that merge genres and incorporate subjective imagery. His first short, Headache, won Silver at Cannes Lions Young Directors Award and has been shortlisted for BIFA qualifying festivals. He is signed with Independent Talent.

Nigeria | 21 minutes

In the sun-scorched village of Wura Yaya in northern Nigeria, water is not merely a resource, it is a daily battle, a source of heartbreak, and a fragile lifeline that barely holds life together. Here lives Fatsuma, a mother whose strength has been forged in the fires of unimaginable loss. She knows the cost of this crisis more intimately than anyone. Her youngest child drowned in one of the village’s crudely dug, unstable wells, a tragedy that has claimed far too many young lives in this parched land.

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Omoregie Osakpolor is a documentary photographer, filmmaker and extended reality (XR) creator based in Lagos, Nigeria. His work focuses majorly on social change and justice, and explores such themes as displacement, forceful eviction, migration culture, ageing, social welfare for the elderly and security.

He was a finalist at the ArtX Prize, 2021. “Inaccessible Cities,” the Emmy nominated website documentary project which he worked on as the cinematographer in Lagos with AJ Contrast won the Gracie Award in 2022. The VR animation documentary had its world premiere at the SXSW Film and TV Festival 2024 in Austin, Texas.

Category: Narrative & Documentary

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