Filmmaker Statement

Firstly thank you to all who will ultimately watch and judge this film and all the festivals for making this platform open to all filmmakers. The story of Okem was brought about by a personal tragedy that befell my family about a year ago when one of my father's close associates was kidnapped and killed on a short trip to his village in Nigeria. It took a while before members of my family could come to terms with this heinous act. It took me a while as well even though being raised in Nigeria, like many Nigerians, rendered me inure to the brutal and deadly business of kidnapping. Months after the unfortunate event I decided to use the medium that I am undoubtedly a slave to (film) to depict a suffering that Nigerians are far too aware of but others in the global community may not be. Through Okem's story, I not only hope to depict my people on screen as honestly as possible but to educate others and spread awareness of a situation that many people back home have resigned themselves to as a mere fact of life.