A Place Called Forward

Port Harcourt is the fifth most populous city in Nigeria with an estimated population of 3.5 million. It sits in the Niger Delta, the countries leading oil producing region.

Once known as ‘The Garden City’, Port Harcourt has now for a number of years been clouded in shrouds of smoke and soot. These are believed by many residents to originate from illegal burning practices taking place in local refinery plants. Many in the city find themselves covered in a layer of black dust on a daily basis.

This short fictional piece follows the story of a man who has lost his wife and children to soot poisoning. The film uses narrative as a tool to showcase the hardship of Port Harcourt, casting Nollywood actors and adopting the ‘Stop The Soot’ slogan of local protestors.

A Place Called Forward has been screened as part of numerous international film festivals. It’s director, Umanu Elijah, is a socially-engaged filmmaker whose works cover issues including climate, COVID-19, education, insurgency and gender-based violence.