Ema Edosio Deelen’s When Nigeria Happens has been selected as the exclusive cinematic presentation at the 13th Aké Arts & Books Festival, taking place from November 20–22 in Ikeja, Lagos.
Deelen and fellow filmmaker Bayo Oduwole will join the audience after the screening for a Q&A session aligned with this year’s festival theme.
Recognised as Nigeria’s first contemporary dance feature film, When Nigeria Happens explores the vibrancy of dance, love, and survival within the Nigerian experience. The film features real dancers, whose performances lend authenticity and kinetic intensity to its storytelling.
Beyond the film screening, the three-day cultural gathering will host panel discussions, poetry readings, musical performances, and author conversations with notable African and international writers. Among them are Lola Shoneyin discussing Tunde Onakoya: The Chess Champion, Fatima Bala presenting Broken, Bolu Babalola with Honey & Spice, Femi Kayode exploring Gaslight, and Remi Kuti reflecting on her memoir about life with the late Fela Kuti.
Since its inception, the Aké Arts & Books Festival has brought together more than 1,000 writers, poets, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and thinkers to celebrate creativity and storytelling. Its on-site bookstore will showcase over 10,000 titles, including works by writers of African descent, books about Africa, and publications centring Black stories with organisers partnering with publishers to offer competitive pricing.
This year’s theme, “Reclaiming Truth,” tackles the growing challenge of misinformation in contemporary discourse. Festival conversations will foreground issues of ideological bias, media literacy, and the role of storytellers in shaping memory and public understanding