Founded in 2021 by the Surreal 16 Collective—Nigerian filmmakers Abba T. Makama, C.J. "Fiery" Obasi, and Michael Omonua—the S16 Film Festival is a Pan-African platform dedicated to celebrating cinema as an art form and promoting African and global cinematic voices. Established as an alternative to mainstream Nollywood, S16 champions indie filmmaking and avant-garde storytelling. The festival is curated as an art-house film festival and is organized in collaboration with A Whitespace Creative Foundation, Fatherland, and OAK Media.
Since its inception, the festival has been a hub for creative exploration, fostering a subculture for cinephiles and emerging filmmakers. It has received support from institutions such as the Embassy of the Netherland, the French Embassy and Goethe Institut.

Awards & Prizes

- XVI Audience Choice Award (Awarded to the favorite film, after the collation of votes from our audience; a trophy from the S16 Film Festival)

- XVI Special Vision Award (Awarded to a Writer, Editor, Cinematographer or Director of a short film in competition; a certificate and an XVI trophy from the S16 Film Festival)

- XVI Rising Star Award (Awarded to a new/upcoming filmmaker with a short film in competition; a certificate and an XVI trophy from the S16 Film Festival)

- XVI AFP Critics Prize (Awarded by the African Film Press to the director of a short film in competition; prize money + certificate from AFP and an XVI trophy from the S16 Film Festival)

Rules & Terms

- All genre and forms of expression are welcome, but must have a distinct voice behind it.

- Shorts are given special attention.

- Shorts made in Africa by African filmmakers living in Africa can compete for the AFP Critics Prize.

- All films MUST be a Nigerian premiere at least. This means that it must not have screened anywhere publicly or released anywhere in Nigeria (including geo-locked release) before its premiere in S16.

See below the Surreal16 Collective Manifesto:

1. No Wedding Films.

2. No slapstick (in the) films.

3. No romantic comedies.

4. Avoid Melodrama.

5. Genre films are encouraged.

6. The films must contain an element of surrealism.

7. The films must be from the African perspective.

8. There will be no religious propaganda.

9. No censorship.

10. No sequels.

11. No cliche-looking witch doctors.

12. No fake British or American accents.

13. No “To God be the Glory” at the end of films.

REVISED: “TO GOD BE THE GLORY” ENCOURAGED AFTER THE END CREDITS.

14. No establishing shots of Lekki Bridge.

15. The use of local languages is encouraged.

16. No cheesy lines or characters.