PRESS RELEASE
Producer of TMD, Femi Odigbemi, receiving the Best Director prize from the MD/CEO of NFC, Dr Aliyu Nuhu
WINNERS of the coveted awards of Zuma International Film Festival (ZUFF) 2025, Nigeria’s foremost national film festival have emerged.
The winners, announced at this year’s edition of ZUMA AWARDS NIGHT and closing ceremony of the 15th edition in the series includes Best Picture Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Animation/Cartoon, Best Actress/Supporting Actress, Best Actor/Supporting Actor, Best Documentary, Best Foreign Film, Best Student Film, Best Sound, Best Costume, Best Indigenous Films (Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo & any other indigenous film), Best Short Film, Best Skit, and Best Music Video, among others. The 5-day Zuma international film festival to place at the the Jabi Lake Mall, Silver Bird Cinema and Chida Hotels & Events Center, Abuja from December 1-5, 2025.
In the statement, signed by Brian Etuk, Public Affairs Director; Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) the following emerged as winners:
- Best Animation – THE TRAVAILS OF AJADI – Directed by Adeoye Adetunji – Nigerian;
- Best Documentary – THE CASHEW RAIN –Directed By Alan Schvarsberg –Brazil;
- Best Sound – FINDING NINA – Directed By Famous Eghosa Sarah Ifidon –Nigeria;
- Best Costume– THE MAN DIED – Directed By Awam Amkpa – Nigeria
- Best Cinematography – THE MAN DIED – Directed By Awam Amkpa – Nigeria;
- Best Short Film – DUBITO – Directed By Daniyal Mahmoudinia- Iran;
- Best Music Video – LOVE WAR – Directed By David Woulard & Tyler Parks – USA
- Best Skit – LION DANCE – Directed By 禹呈 林yu Chenglin – Taiwan;
- Best Student Film – PASS – Directed By Noushin Safari – Iran; and
- Best Children Film – BEULA (India) – Directed by B Suresh Kumar.
Others, according to Etuk are –
- Best Indigenous Yoruba Film – ÌṢẸ́ (PENURY) – Directed By Omobolanle Ayankumbi – Nigerian;
- Best Indigenous Hausa Film – KAKANDA – Directed By Toa Mc Baror – Nigeria;
- Best Indigenous Igbo Film – ROAD TO HELL – Directed By Kelechi Emmanuel Oritshet;
- Best Foreign Film – DON’T LOOK AT ME – Directed By Natasha Atab – Brazil;
- Best Actor – ABDULAZEEM M. IBRAHIM – Finding Nina – Nigerian);
- Best Supporting Actor – SAM DEDE – The Man Died;
- Best Actress – IJAPARI BEN-HIRKI Finding Nina;
- Best Picture – THE MAN DIED – Directed By Awam Amkpa – Nigeria;
- Best Director – AWAM AMKPA – The Man Died –- Nigeria;
Judges:
Mr. Ejike Asiegbu – Nigeria (Chair); Dr. Mohammed Ghazala (Egypt); Mr. Gilbert Agbor (Cameroun); Prof. Vincensia Shule (Tanzania); Mr. Hafizu Bello (Nigeria); Mr. Rasmesh Raparthi (India); Abdulkareem BabaAminu (Nigeria); Fari Elysian (Russia); Oskar Alegra (Spain).