25-year-old Nigerian independent filmmaker Imo David has captured public attention after revealing his inspiring journey from working as a factory cleaner in Agege, Lagos, to securing an official selection at a European film festival.
David's short film, "Tomorrow For Sale", has been officially selected to screen at the Schijnwerpers Kortfilmfestival 2026 in Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium. The screening is scheduled to take place at Kuumba vzw on Thursday, November 5, or Friday, November 6, 2026.
Reflecting on his trajectory in a heartfelt social media post, David shared the grassroots struggles that shaped his early career, including overcoming technical limitations, financial constraints, and self-doubt.
"I grew up in Agege, Lagos, in a 'face-me-I-face-you' house," David wrote. "Immediately after secondary school, I worked as a cleaner in a pharmaceutical company in Ikeja. I saved for two months to buy my first smartphone, a Tecno Spark 3, for N32,000. That phone became one of my first filmmaking tools."
He explained how "Tomorrow For Sale" was initially created under tight constraints for a regional competition before making its way onto the international festival circuit.
"This was one of the short films we submitted for the MEXA," he shared. "I had no equipment, and my phone was faulty. But I refused to give up. I wrote a story around the given theme, found a church willing to lend us a Canon 6D, called my sister and another person, and we made the film!"
David added that gaining exposure to professional media production at Winners Chapel in 2023 marked a pivotal turning point in his practical experience, allowing him to work with cinema cameras and production equipment for the first time. Since then, he has trained over 200 people in physical media workshops while continuing to produce independent projects.
"Those little projects might not mean much to some professionals, but they mean everything to us," David noted. "They represent our sacrifices, creativity, and willingness to create despite our limitations. I'm 25 years old and I may not be where I want to be yet, but I'm grateful for how far God has brought me."
