Maryam Abiola, from Lagos, has won the first prize of the inaugural KCCN Short Film Contest 2026 for ‘Too Loud’
‘Too Loud’ is a 10-minute fiction film exploring emotional abuse, resilience and a young woman’s journey towards independence
Inspired in part by the resilience of the Haenyeo, the female divers of Jeju Island, the film connects a Nigerian personal story with a distinctive element of Korean culture
The second prize went to Jude Francis Terkuma, representing the Department of Theatre and Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, for ‘Unspoken’, a romantic drama about two university friends who struggle to express their feelings for each other
The film incorporates Korean pop culture into its story while exploring friendship, vulnerability and love
The third prize was awarded to Opara Barbra Ifeoma of Abuja for ‘I’ll Do It For You’
The fiction film follows a young woman preparing to leave Nigeria for Korea on a scholarship connected to a culture deeply loved by her late mother
Through Korean music, food, language and cultural experiences, she begins to process her grief and embrace the cultural legacy her mother left behind
Two additional films also received special mentions MARKED, a documentary by ThankGod Amah of Lagos, explores identity, survival and resilience through the story of a young girl whose life is shaped by hardship, spirituality, illness, poverty and family instability.
‘I No Be Ashawo’, a drama by Buari Olalekan of Lagos, examines the childhood experiences, neglect and abuse that can shape difficult survival choices later in life
Told in Pidgin English with English subtitles, the film seeks to encourage conversations around child protection, accountability, empathy and community responsibility
The KCCN said the open-theme contest received entries from 21 contestants, providing Nigerian filmmakers and creatives with an opportunity to tell original stories while incorporating elements of Korean culture into their films