‘Petals and Dust’ Secures Semi-Finalist Position at the 2025 Washington Film Awards

Nigerian short film ‘Petals and Dust’ has been announced as a Semi-Finalist at the 2025 Washington Film Awards, marking another notable international recognition for African storytelling.

Based on a true story, ‘Petals and Dust’ follows Ringret, a young woman from northern Nigeria whose life is shattered after suffering a brutal assault from a persistent admirer. Instead of finding the justice and support she desperately needs, she faces shame and societal pressure from her family to marry early—a measure intended to “restore” her dignity but that instead deepens her trauma.

The film, directed by Priye Diri and co-written by Daniel Chukwuemeka, explores the intersections of silence, societal expectation, and resilience.
It is also a subplot to ‘The Bitter Feminist’, a feature-length documentary examining feminism through the voices of women unafraid to challenge patriarchal norms. ‘The Bitter Feminist’ premiered at the iREP International Documentary Film Festival in Lagos earlier this year and was nominated at the 2025 Toronto International Women’s Film Festival.

Chukwuemeka, co-founder and Creative Director of HardFacts Media LLC, stated, “This selection is more than a win for us as filmmakers; it’s a victory for every woman whose story has been dismissed, diluted, or buried under cultural propriety. ‘Petals and Dust’ was born out of pain, but it also carries hope; it asks audiences everywhere to see women like Ringret not as victims, but as survivors who continue to live, love, and dream despite the weight of silence. The recognition from the Washington Film Awards tells us that the world is listening, and that these stories matter.”

As it gains international recognition, ‘Petals and Dust’ continues to highlight how African filmmakers transform brutal truths into catalysts for change.