The inaugural Germany-Nigeria Film Week has ended after a 10-day run of film screenings, panel sessions, and cultural showcases across four German cities: Berlin, Hannover, Bremen, and Hamburg. According to P.M.EXPRESS, the cultural gathering ran from October 1 to 10, bringing together creatives, government officials, and cinema executives to boost partnerships between both nations.
The event kicked off at the Arsenal Film Institut in Berlin with the screening of "The Chronicles of Afrobeats," directed by music executive and filmmaker Oluseun John Abisagboola, widely known as Bankuli. The opening ceremony also included a fireside chat featuring Nigerian Film Corporation head Ali Nuhu and National Film and Video Censors Board leader Dr. Shaibu Husseini, who explored ways to expand co-productions and market reach. Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Senator Ita Enang, and Arsenal Film Institut Director Stefanie Schulte Strathaus attended the launch.
Several notable figures received awards during the festival. German filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff took home a Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive cinematic career. Nigeria's Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, received a Special Recognition Award, which Dr. Husseini accepted on her behalf. In Hannover, Chief Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, also earned a Special Recognition Award for promoting African heritage.
Nollywood works enjoyed prominent visibility during the festival. Audiences in Hannover watched "Amanyanabo: The Eagle King," produced by Ibinabo Fiberesima and co-directed alongside Fred Amata. Uyoyou Adia's film "Evi" also screened in Hannover, earning Adia a directing prize, while Fiberesima received an honour for her long service to Nollywood. Film lovers in Bremen and Hamburg watched Kayode Kasum’s "Love and New Notes," alongside a Bremen screening of Mildred Okwo’s "On Different Grounds."
Founded by Mykel Parish Ajaere of PAFDAF and Michael Davies of SONNENKINDFILM e.V., the initiative aims to create long-term co-production routes and European distribution channels for Nigerian storytellers. The organisers confirmed that the festival's second edition will take place from October 4 to 9, 2027.
