Hassan Oyindamola Ahmed, popularly known as Hassan Tha Kreator, is taking his short film The Committee to the film festival circuit, where he hopes its exploration of bureaucracy, power, and responsibility will resonate with audiences beyond Nigeria.
The film was inspired by a familiar frustration: situations that should be simple often become complicated by bureaucracy and prolonged discussions.
In a recent interview with The Nollywood Reporter (TNR), Hassan said the film uses a community committee to examine what happens when people spend more time discussing a problem than trying to solve it.
“Although the story is set around a community committee, the idea reflects a much larger reality. The committee becomes a microcosm of a system where bureaucracy can sometimes overshadow action,” he said.
For the director, the festival circuit offers an opportunity to place The Committee in spaces where filmmakers, critics, programmers and audiences can engage with its themes beyond a conventional online release.
“I also believe the story has a universal quality,” he said, noting that while the film is rooted in Nigeria, frustrations around bureaucracy, delayed decisions, and ineffective systems exist in different parts of the world.
“I want the film to travel, start conversations, and allow different audiences to interpret it through their own lived experiences.”
A Juju Film Studios project, The Committee was developed through a collaborative process. Hassan worked closely with producers and cast members, including Eric Nwanso, Kanyin Eros, Sim Baba Jatau, Riyo David, Ifeanyi Okondu, and Adekanmbi Nimi.
He also credited Samuel Yusuf and Collins Onuwa for cinematography, Sandra Somorin as production manager, John Oghota for location management, and Marvin Onuwa for behind-the-scenes documentation.
For Hassan, collaboration was particularly important because the film relies on timing, character interactions, reactions, and subtle performances.
“For me, collaboration meant allowing everyone to contribute while keeping the story and vision at the center of every decision.”
One of his most memorable experiences during production was watching the cast embrace the absurdity of the committee’s world while maintaining the seriousness of their characters.
“Their reactions, timing, and chemistry became a huge part of what makes the film work,” he said.
He also recalls seeing the performances, cinematography, production design, and dialogue come together on set as a defining moment in the filmmaking process.
“That’s one of those moments as a filmmaker when you realize that something that existed in your head is becoming a real film,” he said.
Although The Committee is a comedy, Hassan says the humor is built around conversations about responsibility, action, and the systems people operate within.
As the film enters the festival circuit, he hopes audiences will recognize elements of their own societies, workplaces, communities, or even themselves in the story.
“That is ultimately what I want The Committee to do: entertain people, but also make them think.”
The Committee is currently in the submission process for festivals that align with the film and its themes.
