Vanessa Obioha
Award-winning Nigerian documentary filmmaker, Joel ‘Kachi Benson, will be directing a new documentary on Chibok Girls’ abduction for Hunting Lane and Impact Partners. Both companies are known for producing and financing award-winning films.
The documentary titled ‘The Harvest’ follows four Nigerian mothers from the Chibok community in Borno State and their struggles to educate their children despite the tragedy that befell them in 2014 when insurgents attacked the community and kidnapped 276 schoolgirls.
In a chat with Deadline, Benson who recently co-directed the Disney original ‘Madu’ shared that he has spent the past five years with the mothers and survivors of the Chibok kidnappings.
“I’ve listened to their stories, and what I’ve learnt is that these women are more than the tragedy that is mostly used to describe them. My aim with ‘The Harvest’ is to give them a platform to tell their own story and show a side to these heroines that the world hardly sees: a community of mothers who have stood, and continue to stand as pillars, working together to make tomorrow better for their children. That is the ultimate bravery.”
‘The Harvest’ will serve as a sequel to Benson’s 2019 VR documentary on the infamous Chibok abduction ‘Daughters of Chibok.’ The film fetched him international recognition at the 76th Venice International Film Festival where he took home the award for Best Immersive Story.
‘The Harvest’ is produced by Jamie Patricof, Katie McNeill, Rachel Halilej, Samira Mohammed, and Adeyinka Oduniyi. Pic is presented by Impact Partners in association with Shark Island Productions and JB Multimedia Studios. Impact Partners has been involved in financing over 100 films, including such award-nominated and winning works as ‘Icarus,’ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor.’
“We were honoured to be able to work with ‘Kachi on this powerful film,” stated Patricof of Hunting Lane who partnered with Benson on ‘Madu’ and is known for producing films like ‘Captain Fantastic.’ “What the women in this film accomplish is nothing short of miraculous. They are real-life superheroes.”
