Nigerian Indie Filmmaker Dika Ofoma’s Obi Is A Boy Set For 2026 IFFR Premiere

Dika Ofoma's Obi is A Boy is Nigeria's only film showing at the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam 

Nigerian Indie filmmaker Dika Ofoma is headed to the 29 January to 8 February 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam with his short film Obi is a Boy. This marks his return to the festival following this year’s appearance with the critically acclaimed God’s Wife (2024). 

Dika’s film is one of 11 African films set to screen at the competition, per Culture Custodian. Co-written and produced by longtime associate Blessing Uzzi, Obi is a Boy follows effeminate gender non-conforming youth Obinna, whose arrival home after the unexpected death of his mother reveals a rift with his father. It explores identity, Igbo culture, and the complexities of maintaining strained family relations. It stars Vche Uba as the titular character, Ofia Afuluagu Mbaka, and Ebele Okaro-Onyiuke. 

This will serve as the film’s international premiere with another appearance set for the January 30 to February 7, 2026 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. It previously screened at the December 1- 5 2025 S16 Festival where it won the inaugural African Film Press Critics Prize for Best Film. Dika had previously won the Rising Star Award at S16 V in 2024. 

In an Instagram appreciation post, Dika said, “Such a privilege to be returning to Rotterdam with a film just a year after my short film God’s Wife was there. big thanks to baba God for doing his thing!”. He further appreciated his co-writer Blessing Uzi and the team behind the film.