Nigerian filmmaker Samuel Okechukwu has reflected on the international recognition of his short documentary From the Margins Where Change Begins, which recently won Best Short Documentary at the MegaCities ShortDoc Film Festival in Paris.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Nollywood Reporter (TNR), Okechukwu said the film’s recognition highlights the global relevance of stories rooted in systemic marginalisation, particularly within rapidly growing urban cities.
Although set in Lagos, he explained that the documentary reflects a broader global reality where young people, despite forming the majority, remain excluded from decision-making spaces that shape their lives.
“While the story is rooted in Lagos, Nigeria, it reflects a broader pattern seen across many rapidly growing cities worldwide,” he said. “Young people, despite being the majority, remain absent from the spaces where policies that shape their lives are made.”
He noted that the film speaks directly to the realities of urbanisation, positioning itself as both a reflection and a call to action for more inclusive governance structures.
According to him, From the Margins Where Change Begins challenges audiences and policymakers to reconsider who is represented in civic decision-making and how urban futures are shaped.
On winning the Best Short Documentary award, Okechukwu said the recognition carries both professional and personal significance. Professionally, he noted that it reinforces the idea that stories from the margins can achieve global resonance when told with clarity and intention.
On a personal level, he described the award as encouragement to continue telling socially driven stories. He added that the recognition strengthens his commitment to documentary filmmaking as a tool for visibility and impact.
However, he stressed that his focus is not centred on awards, but on the reach and influence of the film.
“Ultimately, I see the film as a model for rethinking governance through more inclusive, youth-centred approaches,” he said. “The real expectation is that it continues to reach the right audiences and contribute to more inclusive and representative cities.”
Okechukwu also spoke about the challenges of filming in public spaces in Lagos, describing the city’s unpredictability as one of the major obstacles during production. He noted that environmental conditions and access constraints often affected consistency in shooting.
Despite these challenges, he said the process provided valuable lessons, particularly through engaging directly with young people and working collaboratively in real environments.
He described documentary filmmaking as a powerful medium for understanding history, interpreting present realities, and shaping future narratives. According to him, stories that are not told risk being forgotten without impact.
He encouraged emerging documentary filmmakers to focus on purpose-driven storytelling rather than external recognition, stressing that intention matters more than awards.
