Nnamdi Kanaga’s Water Girl has earned multiple nominations at the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) 2025, one of the UK’s leading showcases for diverse and socially conscious storytelling.
The film is nominated for Best International Feature, where it will compete with Harry Bentil’s Letter to Goddo and Zoey Martinson’s debut The Fisherman for the festival’s top prize.
Veteran Nigerian actress Stella Damasus also secured a nomination for Best Actress in a Feature—her first BUFF recognition. She faces competition from Ghanaian actress Sitsofe Tsikor (Letter to Goddo) and Ghanaian-Nigerian actress Endurance Dedzo (The Fisherman).
In addition to its awards run, Water Girl will screen at BUFF alongside more than 70 titles, including Hope – Beyond Rape, Murder and War Crimes, An Enemy Within, Tapped, Letters to Goddo, Fatherless No More, Skategoat, and The Fisherman.
Directed by Kanaga, Water Girl tells the story of a mother who, after enduring multiple miscarriages, discovers her child is an Ogbanje—a spirit child in Igbo mythology fated to die and return repeatedly.
Founded in 2005, BUFF has established itself as a platform for underrepresented voices, spotlighting socially conscious films and emerging talent. This year’s edition, which marks the festival’s 20th anniversary, will take place from October 10 to 24, 2025, across London venues including Odeon Greenwich, Rich Mix Shoreditch, and Genesis Cinema in Mile End.
