When we first put out the call for applications, we must admit that we were a little skeptical about the way it’d be received. There were so many questions but top on the list was our fear that the ecosystem might not be ready to see the importance of training film journalists or that the applications might be lackluster and give us nothing great to work with.
Then the applications began to roll in. On the first day, thirty-five people applied and it snowballed with the call for applications turning up in every film-related space we could think of. At that moment, our fear shifted to something new — how was the selection committee going to wade through the over hundred applications to pick a handful for our first cohort?
We did not envy the work they had to do as the competition was intense and the applications were solid.
One primary thing we learnt from this process was that people who want to get better are constantly seeking opportunities and we need more pivotal organizations to do the hard work of creating and maintaining these opportunities.
Now, let’s talk about our Fellows and why the fifteen of them made the cut.
These wonderful men and women, across different age and educational demographics, have been selected because:
They have a strong passion for the Nigerian film industry.
They are very interested in the growth of the industry and have done some work in their small corner to help the industry grow through film journalism.
They are not afraid to do the work.
They are committed to learning and re-learning.
These core pillars are the foundations of this Fellowship and we are excited to announce these exceptional people who will be receiving top-notch training for the next three months.
Kikachi Memeh is a film writer and critic who's spent her recent years documenting the works of emerging and established players of the Nigerian Film Industry. The Journalism Master's student at the University of British Columbia and Nollywood aficionado has been published by the Cambridge University Press, Culture Custodian, and the African Studies Review.
Quayyim Abdul-Hafeez Adedimeji is a creative storyteller and freelance journalist from Nigeria. He loves the reels and films, and is invested in promoting the film culture in Nigeria. He currently serves as the Features Editor for film reporting platform, The Film Conversation.
Fancy Goodman is a Nigerian writer whose works have appeared in Brittlepaper, Adventures Magazine, Storyhouse among others. She is also a member of The Film Rats Club, a community for cinephiles.
Aliyu Bala is a writer, film lover and content operations manager at Rok productions, CANAL+ Group.
Nalu Success is a broadcast journalist, voice over artist, event host, book reviewer and writer who works with TheNollywoodReporter.
Ebukah Nzeji is a creative writer, trailer editor, film editor and producer. He is the creative director and co-founder of Starmark Studios, a boutique film post-production and production collective.
Dennis Adedotun Peter is a perennially curious writer and editor interested in music, youth culture, film and politics.
Joseph Jonathan is a 300L student of History and International Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka who is very enthusiastic about film journalism. He is currently a freelancer.
Seyi Samuel is a film critic for The Film Conversation.
Chibuzor Aladum is a screenwriter and film producer. He is also the host of The Nollywood Podcast and Editor-in-Chief of Script Reeder, a company that provides proofreading services for scripts.
Ini-Abasi Jeffrey is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Bella Naija, The Lagos Review and Film Cred. He is also an avid believer in Amy Adams finally winning an Oscar.
Michael Olaleye is the co-founder of The Cinema Radar. He is a cinephile who creates film-related content when he isn't engulfed in the world of cinema.
Ahmad Adedimeji Amobi is a Nigerian creative and freelance writer. He is a contributing editor at The Film Conversation.
Damilola Aleje is a media personality with a vast experience in media and film production. She currently works as a film journalist and podcast host with Bounce Networks.
Welcome guys👏🏾