iREP Unveils Facilitators, Cash Prizes for Mobile Phone Filmmaking Workshop

Vanessa Obioha

Organisers of the iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival (iREP) have announced the facilitators and prize structure for the 2026 Mobile Phone Filmmaking Workshop aimed at young creatives.
The three-day workshop, organised in partnership with Ecobank, will hold from March 16 to 18, 2026, as part of the festival’s pre-event capacity-building initiatives. The main festival will run from March 18 to 22 at the Ecobank Pan-African Centre.

Targeted at emerging storytellers aged 18 to 25, the training programme is designed to equip participants with practical documentary filmmaking skills using smartphones and accessible digital tools. The initiative forms part of the festival’s broader effort to nurture a new generation of documentary storytellers and expand documentary practice across Nigeria.

Participants will undergo three days of intensive hands-on training covering story development and documentary research, mobile phone filming techniques, visual composition, interview techniques, ethical considerations, as well as editing fundamentals and post-production workflow.

The workshop will be led by acclaimed filmmaker Tunde Kelani, serving as the principal facilitator. Other facilitators include Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Joel Benson, alongside Samuel Igbedion, Jahman Anikulapo and Hadizat Ibrahim.

Participants will also engage with prominent figures in Nigeria’s film industry during a special industry meet-and-greet session. Expected guests include filmmaker and festival director Femi Odugbemi, actress Joke Silva, filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, veteran actor Antar Laniyan and singer-performer Nonso Bassey.

To encourage innovation and excellence, films produced during the workshop will compete for cash prizes. The best film will receive N1 million, while the second and third-place winners will receive N750,000 and N500,000 respectively, alongside other consolation prizes.

The workshop is open to aspiring filmmakers, content creators and storytellers residing in Nigeria. Applicants must demonstrate basic literacy and communication skills and have access to a smartphone for filming.
Interested applicants are required to submit a 200–300-word statement explaining their interest in documentary filmmaking, a social issue or story they are passionate about, and how they intend to apply the skills gained. Applicants must also submit a one- to two-minute video pitching their documentary idea.

Participants are required to have an Ecobank account to take part in the programme. Those without one can open an account through the bank’s digital platform.