Igbo Culture: Iheonunekwu’s ‘OSU’ Wins Best Indigenous Film in Canada .....From Kigali experience to award-winning film

 

.... The recognition marks another major international honour for Iheonunekwu, whose filmmaking has focused on African history, indigenous languages, culture, identity and social issues.

..... Dedicates the Award to the Igbo language. 

.... Says "We have to do more for our culture".

“A film can do more than entertain; it can challenge stereotypes, preserve culture and reshape global perceptions.”

Nigerian filmmaker, actor and producer, Dr Donald Oluchukwu Iheonunekwu, has won the Best Indigenous Film award at the Brampton International Nollywood Film Festival (BINFF) in Canada for his film, OSU, a production that confronts one of the most painful chapters in Igbo social history.

The recognition, announced in September 2026 within the wider Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) ecosystem, marks another major international honour for Iheonunekwu, whose filmmaking has focused on African history, indigenous languages, culture, identity and social issues.

For the filmmaker, however, the award goes beyond personal achievement. He dedicated the honour to the Igbo language, stressing the need for more deliberate efforts to preserve Igbo culture.

“This award is dedicated to the Igbo language. We have to do more for our culture.”

Iheonunekwu’s passion for indigenous-language filmmaking dates back to 2015 when reports warning about the declining use of the Igbo language and its uncertain survival into the century prompted him to take action.

Rather than merely lament the situation, he picked up a camera and began telling stories that would keep the language, history, traditions and worldview of the Igbo people alive.

Since then, he has produced films substantially in Igbo, as well as documentaries examining the history and civilisation of the people.

His documentary, Journey to Igbo Civilization, won Best Documentary at the Abuja International Film Festival in 2022 and later received the same recognition at VILLAFEST in 2023.

Another dimension of Iheonunekwu’s filmmaking emerged from his first visit to Kigali, Rwanda, where he encountered stereotypes about young Igbo men.

He subsequently transformed the experience into A Trip to Kigali, a film shot in Lagos and Kigali that explores identity, perception and how Africans view one another across national and cultural boundaries.

Iheonunekwu served as actor, co-director and producer on the project.

The film went on to win Best Narrative Feature at the 2026 TAFF International Film Festival in Dallas, while it also earned a Best Actress award.

The filmmaker said the experience strengthened his belief that cinema could serve purposes beyond entertainment.

“A film can do more than entertain; it can challenge stereotypes, preserve culture and reshape global perceptions.”

His latest film, OSU, takes on the controversial Osu caste system, under which people classified as Osu and their descendants historically suffered discrimination and social exclusion because of an inherited status associated with traditional religious practices.

Rather than dwell only on the celebratory aspects of Igbo heritage, Iheonunekwu chose to shine a light on a painful chapter that continues to generate discussion about tradition, identity, discrimination and social justice.

He disclosed that OSU was conceived as an excerpt from a larger project he intends to complete.

“I wanted to turn the lens toward the plight of this group of people and tell a story that deserves to be seen.”

The film’s success at BINFF has consequently provided international visibility for a subject often regarded as difficult and uncomfortable, while placing marginalised voices at the centre of a broader cultural conversation.

For Iheonunekwu, filmmaking is not simply about preserving the past. It is also a means of ensuring that indigenous languages and cultural narratives remain relevant to contemporary audiences.

His works have consistently sought to document history, challenge stereotypes, preserve indigenous expression and encourage conversations around difficult social realities.

From Journey to Igbo Civilization to A Trip to Kigali and now OSU, his filmmaking journey has remained anchored on the conviction that African stories can be told from African perspectives and through indigenous voices.

The Best Indigenous Film award at BINFF therefore represents another milestone in a journey that began with concern over the possible decline of the Igbo language more than a decade ago.

And for the filmmaker, the honour is an encouragement to continue rather than a reason to stop.

“The award is not the destination. It is another reason to keep telling the stories.”

Dr Donald Oluchukwu Iheonunekwu is a Nigerian filmmaker, actor, producer and director whose works focus on African history, culture, identity and social issues.

His films, including Journey to Igbo Civilization, A Trip to Kigali and OSU, have received recognition at the Abuja International Film Festival, VILLAFEST, TAFF International Film Festival and the Brampton International Nollywood Film Festival.

Through indigenous-language filmmaking, Iheonunekwu continues to promote cinema as a tool for cultural preservation, social reflection and the telling of African stories to audiences in Nigeria and beyond.