Ololade Olufisayo Oludotun, a Nigerian filmmaker, was named the inaugural winner of the 2023 Native Shorts Creatives Competition for his short film, Lost But Found.
Oludotun was named as the winner based on his film about issues encountered by female children worldwide, owing to deeply rooted and persistent exclusion from possibilities that create barriers for girls everywhere.
In the film, a young girl narrates her narrative of navigating life’s difficult journey while carrying heavy home obligations that kept her from school, increasing her chances of child marriage and motherhood.
However, as a street vendor, the girl realizes her passion for painting and overcomes her challenge through bravery and pure perseverance.
According to Iamnativ, the award’s organizers, Oludotun’s video communicates across cultures and generations. About gender bias and resulting gender discrimination that begins in childhood. As well as conflict, poverty, and other forms of socioeconomic adversity that aggravate gender inequality.
He went on to say, “I am encouraged,” Oludotun said, “Winning a global award at a time of global crises when women and young girls everywhere face an immense range of challenges—from the inability to access food, education and employment to the threat of gender-based violence feels like a tremendous honour and an equally tremendous responsibility to do more advocacy with my films.”
“The sooner any nation understands girl children are as equally important and that the lack of women in leadership roles holds back not only women, but all people, the sooner we will be able to advance society as a whole”.
He will receive a monetary prize of £1,500 ($1,918), ahead of Abdoulie B. Jarju, a Gambian who won the second prize of $500, and another Nigerian. Benjamin Olukoya won the third prize of $500 for his film The Nightmare.
Other contenders included Babucarr Manka (Gambia) for Who are you? Brian Odong (Uganda) for Blocked, Jacktone Alufwani (Kenya) for The Dusk, and Ubi Ofem Ubi (Nigeria) for You Good? Visual storytellers from the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Are welcome to enter the online platform, iamnativ.com,’s short film competition.
Oludotun has directed several short films, including “Stupid Finder.” EbonyLife Creative Academy, which the prominent media mogul Mo Abudu owns. And the Lagos State Government funds will release it on YouTube in May 2022.
cc: Daily Trust Ng
