Nigerian Epic 'Safari' Clinches Golden Jury Award at AIFF 2025

The Nigerian feature film "Safari" secured a monumental victory on the international stage, earning the prestigious Golden Jury Award for Overall Best Film at the Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) 2025. This highly anticipated five-day cinematic showcase, dedicated to celebrating the best of global and African filmmaking, ran from November 6 to November 10, culminating in its closing ceremony on the final day. Hosted in Nigeria’s capital city, the festival operated under the compelling and relevant theme, "From Script to Nation: The Role of Cinema in Shaping National Identity," highlighting the profound cultural and social influence of filmmaking across the continent.

The success of "Safari" extended beyond the main prize, bringing well-deserved recognition to its key creative forces. Director and producer Obi Emelonye was honored with the award for Outstanding Directing, showcasing his masterful handling of the epic narrative, while actress Osas Ighodaro received the prize for Outstanding Actress, affirming her compelling performance. Emelonye, who also holds an academic position teaching film studies at the University of Huddersfield, took the opportunity to express his profound gratitude to the AIFF organizers and Providus Bank for their crucial financial and logistical support of the project. Significantly, "Safari" holds the distinction of being the very first project to receive funding from the new 5 billion naira fund specifically allocated to bolster Nollywood productions. This substantial financial backing was essential, facilitating the film's ambitious and lengthy development process, which spanned more than eight years.

Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, the head of AMAA, commented that this achievement underscores the industry's increasing maturity and its collaborative drive toward global recognition. Beyond the major Nigerian triumph, the AIFF also celebrated other international works. These included the South African documentary "Six Kings and Six Queens" and the Russian picture "Just Live," which was recognized with the award for Outstanding Cinematography. This diverse range of accolades demonstrates the growing competitiveness and multifaceted nature of the continent's cinematic landscape, confirming its rising status on the world stage.

Running concurrently with the AIFF, the 21st African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) ceremony provided further evidence of the industry's robust health and upward trajectory. The coveted top prize for Best Film at the AMAA went to the powerful South African movie "The Heart is a Muscle." This feature shared the spotlight as a major winner with the Burkinabe production "Katanga: Dance of the Scorpions," with both films securing an impressive four awards apiece during the ceremony. Nigerian cinema also made a strong showing at the AMAA. The gripping thriller "3 Cold Dishes," notably co-produced by global music sensation Burna Boy alongside Osas Ighodaro, was rightly named Best Nigerian Film. Furthermore, Lateef Adedimeji earned the prestigious title of Best Actor for his compelling and nuanced portrayal in the historical epic "Lisabi: The Uprising."

These recent, high-profile accomplishments across two major festivals—the AIFF in Abuja and the 21st AMAA—serve as a powerful reflection of the burgeoning creative energy emerging from Africa. They demonstrate how the artistic aspirations born on African soil are increasingly resonating with global audiences and critics alike. Every award and every instance of recognition validates the universal power inherent in stories told with authenticity and a deep understanding of the human experience, proving their capacity to unify and inspire viewers worldwide, cementing Africa's place in the global cinematic conversation.