A powerful Nigerian short film, “Tears for Enebi,” addressing sexual violence, has captured global attention, securing five international awards and selection at nearly 20 film festivals worldwide since its debut.
The 16-minute production exploring the harrowing experience of a beauty queen and poet who survived sexual assault recently added two more accolades to its growing collection. The Paris Film Awards honoured the film with a Gold Award for Drama, recognising directors Peter Atigogo and Seunmanuel Faleye, alongside producer Godspower Oshodin. The Hollywood Gold Awards presented the production with a Silver Award for Drama, while the London Movie Awards also awarded a Silver Award for Drama to the same creative trio. The Independent Short Film festival in Los Angeles gave an Honourable Mention for Best Actress before the recent Los Angeles wins for Best Women’s Short Film and Best Actress.
The film, which took over 12 years to bring to fruition, tells the deeply personal story of Enebi Anan, a celebrated beauty queen whose life takes a devastating turn after being assaulted by a trusted mentor. In a shocking twist, the narrative reveals that her perpetrator leads one of Africa’s most prominent anti-rape organizations, exposing the painful irony and betrayal that many survivors face.