Happened June 27, 2026 • Ananse Center for Design, Lagos

Men in Arts & Film

A powerful afternoon of honest conversations on masculinity, identity, responsibility, and legacy through art.

Opening

A space long overdue

On Saturday the 27th of June 2026, the All Africans Indie Film Festival brought together some of the most compelling voices in Nigerian and African creative industry for a conversation that was long overdue. Men in Arts and Film was not just an event. It was a reckoning, a celebration, and a challenge, all held in the same room, on the same afternoon, under one powerful theme: Art as Identity, Responsibility and Legacy.

“Where do the men in our creative industry go to speak honestly? Not to pitch, not to perform, but to actually reflect on who they are, what they owe, and what they are building for the generation after them. The answer was nowhere. And so we built the space.”

The Program

An afternoon of courage and truth.

Welcome Address

Isi Imafidon

Founder & Festival Director set the tone: “So much of what shapes our industry happens in private conversations. Today, we are choosing to bring some of that into the open, with courage and with grace.”

Keynote Address

Biodun Stephen — The Men We Raise

A deeply personal and honest reflection on motherhood, filmmaking, and the kind of men our stories produce. She asked the room not just what films they are making, but what kind of men they are raising through those films.

Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD)

The African Man in Transition

Legendary actor, lawyer, and cultural icon with over 41 years of industry dominance. He won the Best Actor in a Leading Role at the inaugural AMAA (2005), received the Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), and the AMVCA Industry Merit Award (2024). A former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State, RMD continues to shape African cinema through RMD Productions, delivering powerhouse performances in global hits like The Black Book and driving the industry forward on the advisory board of the ₦20bn Utica Film Fund.Read more →

Biodun Stephen

Keynote: The Men We Raise

Award-winning filmmaker, CEO of Shutterspeed Projects, and one of Nollywood's most prolific and respected storytellers, Biodun Stephen joined the Men in Arts and Film forum. Delivering a deeply personal session titled 'The Men We Raise: A Mother’s Reflection on Art, Responsibility and Legacy,' she turned her lens inward to explore the intersection of identity, upbringing, and the role art plays in shaping the next generation of men.Read more →

Dr. Bada Akintunde-Johnson

The Economic Case for Creative Industries

Country Manager for Paramount Africa and an influential executive shaping the intersection of media, marketing, and entertainment across the continent. He is the co-founder of the Africa Creative Market (ACM) and co-runs Peaceville Africa.Read more →

Ike Nnaebue

Mentorship, Community & Passing the Torch

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, director of No U-Turn (Berlinale Special Jury Mention) and CEO of LP House of Creatives.Read more →

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, director of No U-Turn (Berlinale Special Jury Mention) and CEO of LP House of Creatives.

Caleb Chinweokwu

Beyond Production: Building a Digital Ecosystem for Film

Caleb Chinweokwu is a creative producer, director, and entrepreneur working at the intersection of film, digital content, and culture.Read more →

Caleb Chinweokwu is a creative producer, director, and entrepreneur working at the intersection of film, digital content, and culture.

Adeyinka Akinyede-Ashaolu

The Wealth Playbook for Men

Finance expert and wealth coach, delivering a strategic session on building wealth, assets, and legacy for men in the creative industry.Read more →

Finance expert and wealth coach, delivering a strategic session on building wealth, assets, and legacy for men in the creative industry.

Francis Odeyemi

AI is Learning Fast – But What About Africa?

Seasoned product and brand design leader with over a decade of experience in innovative solutions across Nigeria, the UK, and the USA.Read more →

Seasoned product and brand design leader with over a decade of experience in innovative solutions across Nigeria, the UK, and the USA.

Adebukola Agbaminoja

Censorship vs Creative Freedom in Africa

Explored the tension between censorship and creative freedom in Africa, discussing regulation, morality, and artistic expression.Read more →

Explored the tension between censorship and creative freedom in Africa, discussing regulation, morality, and artistic expression.

Jeffrey Okwodu

Film as Infrastructure

Examined the civic and nation-building responsibility of African cinema.Read more →

Examined the civic and nation-building responsibility of African cinema.

Nosa John Graham Garrick

Rebuilding the Man

Commercially focused legal advisor with over 14 years of specialized experience in Intellectual Property and corporate governance.Read more →

Commercially focused legal advisor with over 14 years of specialized experience in Intellectual Property and corporate governance.

Panel Discussion

Art as Identity, Responsibility & Legacy

Moderated by David Ewodage

In Conversation

Asiwaju Olufemi Adedeji

James Omokwe

Obinna Okerekeocha

Stephen Oluboyo

Owodunni Temiloluwa

“The conversation did not shy away from difficult ground: gender, power, the casting couch, and what responsible leadership actually demands.”

Performances

Aiwekhoe Efosa JessicaPerformance

Mizzy BanksPerformance

Melody IconvibezPerformance

Oke and BrendaComedy Act

Kazeem HabeebullahSpoken Word

In Their Own Words

What attendees said.

“The conversation touched on things that matter deeply to me — identity, legacy, and what it really means to build something meaningful in this industry. I left with a lot to think about.”
— Hubert, Film Director and Producer, Lagos

“I didn't realize the importance of sitting in conversations like this and learning until I attended the men in arts and film second edition and regretted why I missed the previous one. Now I left with so much clarity and pursuit for legacy. Thank you so much for this”
— Charles Love

By the Numbers

One afternoon, many voices.

Keynote Address

Standalone Speakers

Panel (5 panelists + mod)

Live Performances

Spoken Word Set

Comedy Act

Hours of Programming

Endorsing Body (LSFVCB)

Watch & Listen

Conversations that continue.

YouTube

Masterclass

How Emerging Filmmakers Can Create Strong Stories with Limited Resources

Egbemawei Sammy Dimiyei

A practical conversation on storytelling, creativity, and building compelling films with limited production resources.

YouTube

Book Club

Inside the AAIFF Book Club: Reading Well, Adapting Honestly, and the Future of African Storytelling

AAIFF Book Club

A cultural discussion exploring literature, adaptation, African storytelling traditions, and the future of narrative communities.

YouTube

Festival Collaboration

The All Africans Indie Film Festival x The Brixton Film Festival

Hosted by Nile Cinema

Highlights and conversations from the collaboration between AAIFF and The Brixton Film Festival.

Thank You

To everyone who made it possible

Thank you to our keynote speaker Biodun Stephen, every panelist, performer, and moderator. Thank you to the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board for their endorsement, and to Ananse Center for Design and Owodunni Temiloluwa for being the most generous of hosts.

What’s Next

Join us in November

The All Africans Indie Film Festival Annual Festival returns on November 27–28, 2026 in Lagos—bigger, deeper, and more expansive than ever. Film submissions are open. Partnership conversations are active. And the community we are building is growing.