A Nigerian short student film, Angel in the stone, has earned global recognition at Sony Future Filmmakers Awards in the student category and has been officially invited to participate in the major Sony Future Filmmakers Awards programme holding in Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
Directed by Doyinsola Ajayi, Angel in the Stone, which is the only Nigerian film to be shortlisted among 30 films globally for the awards is also among 11,750 films submitted by about 7,500 filmmakers from 158 countries and territories.
The film, is about a reclusive autistic teenager, Shalewa, who finds comfort in building and repairing objects using metal scraps.
Shalewa who is constantly tormented by some mischievous young villagers in her age group, often retreats into her own world of creation. But when a severe fish shortage in the village river threatens her mother’s livelihood, thereby pushing the family into debt and the risk of eviction, Shalewa is determined to use her unique skills to help the family.
Speaking on the nomination, an enthusiastic Doyinsola said, “This nomination means so much to me. It’s a testament of the hardwork and dedication that went into making this film. The film has brought opportunities that we didn’t see coming and I am very grateful to have been selected to direct this film.”
Born and raised in Lagos, Ajayi is a filmmaker whose passion for storytelling was ignited at an early age. Growing up in a household where creativity was encouraged, she found solace and inspiration in the world of films, books, and visual arts.
Her journey into filmmaking began when she would write short scripts in her journals and serve as coordinator of drama competitions in her secondary school.
During her university days, Doyinsola started a live radio show for Nigerian/African called “Talk About It” where she spotlight everything African, from music to film to books and a number of other things.
After completing her University degree in International Relations at the University of Reading, UK, Doyinsola started off as an intern journalist at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London and after eight years of working in brand marketing and communications, crafting exciting campaigns for both local and international brands, she decided to make the bold decision to delve into filmmaking.
Armed with a passion for storytelling and an insatiable thirst for learning, Doyinsola excelled as top 25 for the 2023 Accelerate Filmmaker Project where the fire for film making was ignited in her.
Leaving Accelerate, Doyinsola has produced and directed two short films, “Do or Die and MAKI,” both of which have been officially selected to screen in local and international film festivals.
In September 2023, Doyinsola was accepted into Ebonylife Creative Academy (ELCA). At ELCA, Doyinsola was selected to direct one of the four greenlit films- Angel in the Stone (A story about an autistic teengager who saves her struggling community from famine.)
In 2024, Doyinsola was nominated as one of the budding directors to direct an all Indian-cast film as part a film programme sponsored by the Mississauga Arts Council in Ontario, Canada.
Angel in the Stone won 11 awards including best directing at the academy’s graduation ceremony and also got a seat as the first runner up for best short film at the Revo, plus short film competition where part of the proceeds from the competition was donated to Anthos School (A school for autistic students).
