Babatunde Apalowo’s ‘Londoner’ Takes Home Best Fiction Feature Award at Durban FilmMart

Nigerian filmmaker Babatunde Apalowo has won the Red Sea Film Fund Award for Best Fiction Feature at the Durban FilmMart.

His film, “Londoner,” earned him a $5,000 cash prize. Apalowo, who is based in the UK, has previously directed notable works like “A Place for Happiness,” “Catcher,” “The Millions,” and “Death for Sale.”

In 2023, he also won the Teddy Award at the Berlin Film Festival for his queer romance, “All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White.”

The 15th edition of the Durban FilmMart took place in South Africa from July 19 to July 22, showcasing impressive film projects from across Africa.

“Londoner,” produced by Pamela Drameh and Sarudzayi Marufu, tells the story of Ayo, a Nigerian bank manager who moves to London to join his family, only to find out his wife wants a divorce. The film draws from Apalowo’s own experiences of adjusting to life in the UK.

Apalowo described the cultural shift he faced, noting how different personal space is in Nigeria compared to London. He remarked that in London, the isolation was profound, and he felt truly lonely for the first time.

“Londoner” is Apalowo’s second feature film. Other winners at the Durban FilmMart include Sean Drummond and Sheetal Magan, who won The Known Inner Circle Award and $10,000 for their South African film “Acts of Man.”