The short film emerged as Best Documentary out of 1,700 submissions and 58 official selections at the New Jersey-based festival.
Shedrack Salami’s “Ripple Effect” Wins Best Documentary at FilmOneFest
“Ripple Effect,” a short film by Nigerian filmmaker Shedrack Salami, has won the Best Documentary award at the 17th annual FilmOneFest in New Jersey, USA.
The film was selected as a finalist out of over 1,700 submissions and 58 official selections before clinching the top prize in its category.
Speaking to The Nollywood Reporter on July 22, Salami said “Ripple Effect” was driven by a desire to show how art can be used for social good, beyond mere expression.
“I have always been drawn to stories that highlight kindness, purpose, and resilience—and the short film was exactly that,” he said.
He added that brevity does not diminish the impact of storytelling when it is rooted in sincerity.
“Ripple Effect winning Best Documentary in just a minute shows that it’s not really about length—it’s about intention. If the story is told from a place of truth, it will always connect,” he said.
The award-winning short is an abridged version of Salami’s 2024 debut documentary “Semblance Realism.”
The story follows an artist who uses his creative work to fund education for underprivileged children through his nonprofit initiative, Project 100.