Emmy-winning filmmaker Joel ‘Kachi’ Benson has released his documentary Mothers of Chibok in Nigerian cinemas through FilmOne Entertainment. The rollout marks the widest theatrical release for a locally produced documentary in the country.
The film will hold its official Lagos premiere on February 28 at Filmhouse IMAX, Lekki. Attendees will include the mothers of Chibok, filmmakers, cultural leaders, policymakers, and members of the public, who will take part in a post-screening discussion.
While the 2014 Chibok abductions remain widely remembered, Mothers of Chibok focuses on the women left behind. Over a farming season, the documentary follows four mothers as they work their land to fund their children’s education and sustain their communities under the continued shadow of insurgency.
Executive producer Joke Silva highlights the film’s perspective: “After watching, I realized that we don’t often think about these women. We don’t understand what their journey has been. What Kachi has done with this film is amazing. By hearing their voices and seeing their routines, we, the audience, understand that the Chibok tragedy is about families, about education, about community.”
FilmOne Entertainment is distributing the documentary across Nigeria and Ghana. Victoria Ogar, Head of Distribution, says the company sees growing interest in documentary storytelling. “We’re excited for audiences to discover Kachi’s beautiful film, which deserves to be seen in a theatrical environment,” she says.
Benson explains his approach to the subject: “We think we know the women of Chibok because we know their tragedy. That tragedy is just one part of their story, the one the world is quick to see. One cannot know the mothers of Chibok until one truly knows the depth of their strength and resilience.”
Mothers of Chibok premiered at DocNYC before screening at international festivals. It won the Encounters Al Jazeera Award for Best African Feature-Length Documentary. Last year, Benson became the first Nigerian to win a Documentary Emmy for his previous feature, Madu, which streams on Disney+.
The documentary was produced by JB Multimedia Studios, Hunting Lane, and Impact Partners in association with Shark Island Productions. Silva serves as executive producer alongside Ian Darling, Adam and Melony Lewis, Debbie L. McLeod, Meadow Fund, Jim and Susan Swartz, Jenny Raskin, and Geralyn White Dreyfous. Production credits also include Jamie Patricof, Rachel Halilej, Katie McNeill, Kachi Benson, Samira Mohammad, and Adeyinka Oduniyi.
Mothers of Chibok is now showing in FilmOne cinemas across Nigeria and Ghana, with the Lagos premiere scheduled for February 28 at Filmhouse IMAX, Lekki.