Kachi Benson’s ‘In Bakassi’ goes to Berlinale film festival

The short documentary was selected as one of the Virtual Reality films scheduled for screening at the Film Festival.

‘In Bakassi’ will screen at the Berlinale Africa Hub which is part of the European Film Market (EFM) of the festival.

The documentary will be screened from Friday, February 8, 2019, till Wednesday, February 13.

A scene from 'In Bakassi.' Pulse Nigeria

The film festival will kick off on Thursday, February 7 and draw its curtains on February 17.

‘In Bakassi’ which shines a light on the insurgency in the North-East part of the country is the first Virtual Reality film to be made by a Nigerian on the effects of terrorism on Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

The documentary follows the life of Modu Mustapha, an 11-year-old orphan who has been living in the IDP camp for three years, viewers are immersed into the daily struggles of survivors as they search for hope in a place of desolation.

‘In Bakassi' was first screened at the Cairo International Film Festival in November 2018 through the support of Imisi 3D, an African XR ecosystem builder, and 360/VR film curator.

“We are excited to support and promote the emergence of Nigerian voices in immersive media” said Judith Okonkwo, CEO of Imisi 3D, who reiterated that Imisi 3D is committed to providing access to resources for creatives, and partnering for co-productions.

The short documentary was later screened in Lagos in conjunction with Imisi 3D.