Asurf Oluseyi has received an Award of Merit for Hakkunde at the IndieFest Film Awards. Currently in its 7th year, the Awards is about helping industry professionals who create fresh, standout entertainment achieve the publicity and credibility they deserve. Asurf Oluseyi is known for his short films, Hell or High Water and A Day With Death (Best Online Video at the 2016 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards).
Hakkunde, his feature length debut, tells the story of an unemployed graduate who decides to relocate to Kaduna from Lagos when an opportunity presents itself. His expectation is cut short as he decides to either survive in a faraway land or return back to failure. It’s a catalog of challenges on the way to self-discovery and actualization. Shot in Kaduna and Lagos, the film stars Frank Donga, Ali Nuhu, Rahama Sadau, and Hadiza Soja among others.
“I’m super excited about the news as this is the first award to the title, and connecting to juries out of Nigeria shows the power of story telling… The movie stemmed from my personal experiences and it is a universal entity that must be discussed… This award is a big motivation to do better next time,” Asurf said in a statement. The film has also been selected to screen at the 2017 International Black Film Festival of Nashville in celebration of the richness, diversity and creativity of storytelling for the cultural enrichment, progression and education of communities worldwide.
https://youtu.be/-GHpBQbpp1o
The IndieFEST Film Awards recognizes film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. It discovers and honors the achievements of filmmakers who produce high quality films and new media. Talented award winners have gone on to win Oscars, Emmys & Tellys.
See the full list of winners for the Award of Merit below:
- Aisha Schliessler (USA), The End
- Caroline Cory (USA), E.T. Contact: They are here
- Devin Klos (USA), Idol Worship
- Harry Assouline (USA), New York 2150
- Jan Galli (Germany), Your Future
- Kristoffer Haugen (USA), Blood and Snow
- Randy Field (USA), Crime of the Big Leagues
- Reinhard J. Steiner (Switzerland), Evil Live
- Ric Osuna (USA), The UnAmerican Struggle
- Shane Europa (Ireland), The Trap
- Tinna Hrafnsdóttir (Iceland), Munda
- Toni Houston (Australia), Being Change
- Troy Price (USA), Lemonade
- Will Scott (USA), The Situation
- Abraham Rozenbaum (Venezuela), Ayuda
- Adam Soch (USA), Reza Abdoh, Theatre Visionary
- Adrien Boublil (USA), Still
- Aidan Otene Dickens (New Zealand), Land of the Taniwha
- Alex Westrick, Jeffry Lawrence and Mike Wargo (USA), Stage 5
- Alfonso Torres (USA), Mellifluous
- Allison Tate, Here Media (USA), Carol Support Group
- Andi Matheny (USA), The Newest Member
- Andrea Mugnaini (Italy), The Shadow
- Andrea Vanni (USA), Remember
- Andres Diaz (Mexico), Moor
- Angie Su, Hannoah Entertainment (USA), Cello
- Anna Blum (USA), That Your Body is for Receiving Happiness and Good Stuff
- Behrad Gramian (USA), Yegua
- Bob Belinoff (USA), Seventy, A Documentary
- Brandon Arroyo (USA), Estrella
- Brock Daubert, The Filmery (Australia), Moon Blues
- Cath Le Couteur (United Kingdom), Adrift
- Catya Plate (USA), Meeting MacGuffin
- Charlie Parish and Malynda Hale (USA), We Run
- Christopher J Cullen (USA), Must Hurry!
- Christopher Jenkins (USA), Lost Crops
- Colin Sprigg (USA), The Pitch
- Crystal Fortwangler (USA), It Ain’t Easy Being Green
- Damian Overton (Australia), Shiver
- Devin Klos (USA), Idol Worship
- Devon Roddel (USA), Betting on the Bulbs
- Diego Fiori and Olga Pohankova (Austria), The Children of the Noon
- Don DiPetta (USA), The Perfect Omlette
- Ethan Meszaros (Canada), The Optimist
- Francesco Longo (Italy), Nyctophobia
- Gilly Rudolf, Bensussen Art Features (USA), Lauren Higbie
- Grace Cannon (USA), Pretty Empty
- Greg Rainoff (USA), Burning Paradise
- Hailey Millar (USA), My Life is Not a Show
- Jared Oliff-Lieberman (USA), The Method
- James Ragan, Goldstrohm Lane Productions (USA), Flowers and Roots, James Ragan, An Ambassador of the Arts
- Jessica Naftaly and Shailyn Cotten (USA), After Oil (Webseries)
- Joe Scott (United Kingdom), Is This Now
- Joel Jerry Duran (USA), Aguijon
- Josh Kirkland (USA), Fitzgerald
- Justin Dean (USA), Jones Versus the World
- Katerina Philippou-Curtis (United Kingdom), Marriage
- Katie Paul (USA), Elijah
- Kerry LeVielle (USA), Her Natural Crown
- Konark Sarangi and Snehasis Das (USA), Ghar Jaana Hai: The Stories Untold
- Lainey Lipson (United Kingdom), Breathe
- Lewis Tan (USA), A Bone to Pick
- Madoka Harada (Japan), The Dark Ward
- Marco Antonio Barajas (Mexico), Answer Me
- Maria Gabriela Torres (USA), Sidewalking
- Michael Scarnati (USA), Addicted
- Misha Zubarev (USA), Cake: A Love Story
- Oluseyi Asurf, Asurf Films Ltd (Nigeria), Hakkunde
- Paco Arasanz (Spain), Doors
- Parker Queenan (USA), Beyond Conscious
- Paul Nandzik (USA), Forever Young
- Roxana Bazgoneh (France), Time Left
- Ryan C. Johnson (USA), Principles of Curiosity
- Vanessa McNeal (USA), The Voiceless
- Wilder Donnelly (USA), Missing Link: How I Got My Alien Abduction Footage
- Zach Drummer (USA), Realties
