Adaptation study
The Blue Lantern Republic
Nkechi Okorie
A luminous novel of language, exile, and cities that asks what changes when memory moves from page to screen.
Literary & Cultural Book Club
AAIFF Book Club
Stories Beyond The Screen
The AAIFF Book Club is a community for readers, storytellers, thinkers, filmmakers, and creatives interested in exploring stories beyond film. Through books, essays, scripts, poetry, journals, and conversations, the club creates a space to engage with identity, culture, storytelling, healing, leadership, advocacy, creativity, and social transformation.
Why Stories Matter Beyond Film
The book club exists because great storytellers are also great listeners, readers, and observers of humanity.
We believe that the richest films are born from deep reading. By engaging with literature, memoir, criticism, and poetry, we sharpen our ability to tell stories that resonate across borders and generations.
What We Explore
Themes that shape our reading and conversations.
African Literature
Film & Screenwriting Books
Memoirs & Biographies
Feminist Writing
Cultural Criticism
Mental Health & Healing
Identity & Society
Creative Entrepreneurship
Philosophy & Human Experience
Adaptation
How We Read
Each reading opens a practical conversation about adaptation.
Books that travel
Nigerian, African, and diasporic texts shaped by migration, memory, language, and cultural exchange.
Adaptation rooms
Sessions on what changes when stories move from book to film, stage, or oral performance.
Case studies
Practical lessons from books adapted into film for writers, directors, producers, and critics.
Access pathways
Reading, listening, viewing notes, and contextual material for members across locations.
Author and filmmaker talks
Interviews, adaptation debates, and critical roundtables connected to the festival slate.
Reader‑maker community
A space where reading becomes preparation for making, programming, and discussing better films.
What to Expect
A community that reads, reflects, and creates together.
Monthly Book Discussions
Deep dives into selected books, guided by moderators and community voices.
Guest Conversations
Intimate talks with authors, filmmakers, and thinkers about their craft and influences.
Reading Circles
Small, informal gatherings (online and in‑person) where pages come alive through shared reading.
Creative Reflections
Journaling prompts, writing workshops, and collaborative reflections inspired by the texts.
Film‑to‑Book Conversations
Cross‑media dialogues exploring how stories transform from page to screen and back again.
Community Networking
A space to connect with fellow readers, filmmakers, and creatives across the continent and diaspora.
Who Can Join
Everyone with a story to tell or a story to hear.
Filmmakers
Writers
Readers
Students
Creatives
Advocates
Anyone passionate about stories and ideas
Past Event
Reading as a Tool: Turning Books into Creative and Professional Action / Film
Happened on February 28, 2026 · 1:00 PM WAT
CORA Library, Freedom Park, Lagos
This guided conversation explored the intersections of African literature, storytelling, wellbeing, adaptation culture, and creative development—turning the act of reading into a springboard for professional and artistic action.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Freedom Park.
Speakers
Voices that guide the conversation.
Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad
Publicist, lecturer, and member/fellow of ANA, NIPR, ARCON, and CIPDM.
Taiwo Egunjobi
Film director, screenwriter, and cultural commentator.
Dr. Tola Bamigbaiye
Author and seasoned commercial and strategic planning business leader (FNIMN).
Adaptation Spotlight
From page to screen: The Garbage School & Crushed Roses
The Garbage School
A raw, humorous, and deeply human story that examines community, resilience, and the education system. The adaptation process sparked conversations about translating visceral prose into visual poetry without losing the book’s grit.
Crushed Roses
A delicate, emotionally layered narrative about love, loss, and womanhood. Its screen adaptation explored how internal monologue can be rendered through cinematography, sound design, and performance.
Through these case studies, the club explores adaptation not as translation, but as a creative dialogue between literary and cinematic languages—preserving cultural texture while inventing new forms.
Join the Community
Join The Conversation Beyond The Screen
Discover stories, ideas, films, books, and conversations shaping the future of African storytelling.