iREP 2026 to Spotlight Mobile Filmmaking as Ecobank Hosts Pre-Festival Training Workshop
By Esther Bello
As part of activities marking its 15th anniversary, the iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival (iREP) has announced a major focus on mobile filmmaking, with Ecobank Nigeria set to host a three-day Mobile Phone Filmmaking Workshop ahead of the 2026 festival.
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The workshop, scheduled for March 16–18, 2026, will take place at the Ecobank PanAfrican Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, and will precede the main iREP festival holding from March 18 to 22, 2026. It forms a key component of iREP’s strategic partnership with Ecobank Nigeria for the anniversary edition themed “Transformation.”
Designed to equip young and emerging filmmakers with practical skills, the mobile filmmaking workshop will offer hands-on training in the use of smartphones to produce compelling documentary films. Facilitated by experienced documentary practitioners, the programme will cover storytelling, cinematography, sound, editing, and distribution using mobile devices. Selected outstanding works produced during the workshop will attract prize rewards, encouraging innovation, creativity, and excellence among participants.
Speaking during the unveiling of the anniversary programme in Lagos, Co-Founder and Executive Director of iREP, Femi Odugbemi, described the workshop as a deliberate intervention aimed at widening access to documentary filmmaking. He noted that mobile technology has lowered the barriers to entry into filmmaking, making it possible for more young Africans to tell their stories with authenticity and immediacy. According to him, the collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria reflects a shared commitment to youth empowerment, capacity building, and the future of African storytelling.
Commenting on the initiative, Austen Osokpor, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Ecobank Nigeria, said the bank’s support for the mobile filmmaking workshop aligns with its Pan-African vision of nurturing creativity and celebrating African culture. He explained that empowering young people with practical skills in digital storytelling contributes not only to the creative economy but also to the preservation of African narratives and identity.
The mobile filmmaking workshop sets the tone for the 15th anniversary edition of iREP, which will feature over 30 documentary films from across Africa and beyond. The festival programme will include screenings, panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions exploring themes such as governance, democracy, advocacy, technology, and culture, all within the broader context of transformation in African documentary cinema.
With its emphasis on accessible tools and practical training, the 2026 iREP Mobile Phone Filmmaking Workshop underscores the festival’s enduring mission: to place African voices at the centre of global conversations and to empower a new generation of storytellers to document, interrogate, and transform their societies through film.
iREP 2026 to Spotlight Mobile Filmmaking as Ecobank Hosts Pre-Festival Training Workshop