Private Project

Unburied

Unburied" is a haunting exploration of identity and acceptance, set against the backdrop of contemporary Nigeria. The film follows Alex, a non-binary individual from a conservative Yoruba family and a strict Pentecostal community, as they navigate the treacherous path toward self-discovery. Confronted by family rejection, societal transphobia, and religious condemnation, Alex's journey unfolds in a dark, metaphorical forest where they are both literally and figuratively running from their past. This sinister setting is haunted by a masquerade that embodies the societal pressures and deep-seated fears aiming to erase their identity. Employing elements of suspense and the supernatural, "Unburied" is a poignant narrative that delves into the struggles and resilience required to live authentically. It highlights the challenges faced by transgender and non-binary individuals in Nigeria, advocating for acceptance and the fundamental human right to one's true self.

  • Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim
    Writer
    Ife
  • Ayo Lawson
    Writer
  • Ayo Lawson
    Director
    14 years and a Day, Nightmare on broadstreet
  • Feyisola Ogunbanjo
    Producer
  • Alexandra Maduagwu
    Key Cast
    "Kai"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Horror, drama, thriller
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 24, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Nigeria
  • Country of Filming:
    Nigeria
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Ayo Lawson


Ayo Lawson is a Nigerian filmmaker who tells stories for those who grew up never seeing themselves on screen.
Through films like Nightmare on Broadstreet and Unburied, Ayo explores the ways identity, memory, and fear shape our lives. Their work looks at what it means to exist authentically in a world that often refuses to understand, using genre storytelling to create space for reflection, connection, and visibility.

Growing up non-binary in Nigeria, where being queer is still criminalized, Ayo learned early what it feels like to be erased. There were no stories about people like them, so they decided to write their own.

Inspired by storytellers like Ryan Coogler, Jordan Peele, and Zoë Kravitz, Ayo uses genre not just to scare, but to reveal. Their work blurs the line between the terrifying and the tender, the brutal and the beautiful, creating space for every queer, Black, and marginalized person to feel seen.

For Ayo, filmmaking is more than art. It is a form of resistance, a form of healing, and a way to start the conversations many are too afraid to have. Their films invite audiences to step into the uncomfortable, to sit with the questions, and maybe, to see the world and each other a little differently.

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Director Statement

As a non-binary storyteller, I have always been drawn to stories of becoming, of shedding layers of expectation, fear, and shame to uncover the truth of who we are. Unburied is both deeply personal and deeply collective. It is inspired by the shared struggle of trans and non-binary people in societies that seek to erase us, especially in Nigeria, where silence, violence, and shame still shape many queer realities.

I wanted to explore this journey through horror because so much of what we endure feels like a haunting. Memories that stalk us, beliefs that possess us, identities we are forced to kill just to survive. The masquerade in Unburied is not just a figure from cultural lore, it is a metaphor for all the ways our identities are masked, feared, and misunderstood.

But this film is also about resilience, about queer joy, and about the quiet, powerful act of choosing yourself.

With Unburied, I hope trans and non-binary people, especially those in Nigeria and across Africa, can see a reflection of themselves. I hope they feel seen, held, and reminded that we are not alone in our becoming.