In Her Shoes, a short film directed by Ella Chikezie, has won Best Short Film and Best Female Representation in Film at the 2025 Lagos Fringe Film Awards, part of the festival’s annual recognition of outstanding work by filmmakers.
Lagos Fringe announced the awards on Instagram, celebrating the film’s focus on identity and the under-representation of autism in Nigerian storytelling.
The award, sponsored by the Women in the Arts Collective, marks what is likely the film’s seventh recognition since its debut. It follows earlier wins at the Power24 International Film Festival and the All-African Indie Film Festival, where it earned four awards, including Best Director.
In the Best Short Film category, In Her Shoes emerged ahead of Irin Ajo (The Journey) and Oga Mike. It also topped Mother, Sounds of Silence, and I Am Awele’s Daughter to win Best Female Representation in Film.
The short film follows Halima (Darasimi Nadi), a 12-year-old autistic girl seeking inclusion in her community. Its narrative adds to the growing number of autism-focused stories in Nigeria and contributes to broader conversations on representation globally.
