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 Agency, 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

1. XVI Jury Prize
2. XVI Audience Prize
3. XVI Rising Star Award

Rules & Terms

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.