Nigerian filmmaker and singer Onyi Moss has won the Best Script award and €5,000 (approx. ₦7.8 million) prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for her short film “With Deepest Regrets” in the TikTok Short Film Competition.
Moss expressed gratitude for the honor after two previous unsuccessful attempts to win the TikTok contest. In an Instagram post, she reflected, “Two years ago, I was rejected from film school. Now, my short film has won Best Script at the Cannes Film Festival and is screening in theaters in five cities in France.”
“With Deepest Regrets” follows a young author who finds inspiration for her book after stumbling upon a mysterious letter during a walk. The win marks a major milestone for Moss, who credited her husband and supporters for helping make it possible.
The TikTok Short Film Competition, an official partner of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, revealed winners across three categories – Grand Winner, Best Script, and Best Directing. Over 70,000 videos from 55 countries used the #TikTokShortFilm hashtag, which garnered over 2.3 million views on the app.
Atipat Phukosi took the Grand Winner prize of €10,000 (₦15.7 million), while Angely Croq won Best Directing and its €5,000 cash prize.
The prominent contest provides a platform for emerging filmmaking voices and celebrates the art of short-form storytelling in the digital age.