Actress Joke Silva’s documentary Mothers of Chibok has won the Willy Brandt documentary award at the Human Rights Film Festival in Berlin.
The recognition highlights the film’s storytelling and its real world impact beyond the screen.
Receiving the award on behalf of director Joel Kachi Benson, a representative said: “What makes this documentary thoughtful is the long-term commitment behind it. Benson didn’t just go to Chibok and tell the story—he built years of relationship with the mothers and identified a sustainable way to grow and scale their existing farming businesses. This care goes beyond filmmaking into scalable impact for the Chibok community.”
Mothers of Chibok was directed by Joel Benson with Joke Silva and Uzo Aduba as executive producers.
In his acceptance speech, Benson said the film was later taken to television audiences through a broader distribution plan supported by TVC Communications chief executive Victoria Abiola Ajayi. He said it was broadcast nationwide on TVC channels on Friday, April 17 and Sunday, April 19, reaching homes across Nigeria.
He also said, “On Tuesday, April 14, the film was also screened live at TVC Communications Studios in Eko Atlantic, Lagos to mark the exact day 12 years ago that the 276 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted from Girls Government Secondary School, Chibok. The gathering was deliberately structured as both a screening and a civic dialogue. Moderated by Bolanle Olukanni, the evening brought together voices across film, policy, and media, including Aisha Augie and Yinka Obebe.”
Benson added that the screening shifted the conversation from storytelling to practical intervention.
“Following the screening, the conversation moved from storytelling to structure. Benson spoke about the intentional absence of narration in the film and the decision to let the women’s lives unfold without imposed interpretation, an approach shaped by years of proximity and trust. That proximity has extended beyond filmmaking into tangible intervention.”
He explained that at the centre of the film is a farming based economic model supporting the mothers of Chibok.
“At the heart of the film is a functioning economic system. The mothers fund their children’s education through groundnut farming, a model now being supported through the Uwaosi Rhoda Foundation. In its 2025 pilot phase, nine women have been supported, with a target to expand to 100 in 2026 with the farming season fast approaching. The work at this stage is focused on strengthening farming capacity through inputs such as seeds, fertiliser, irrigation, and technical support, enabling increased yield, household stability, and sustained access to education for their children,” he noted.
He said the timing of farming activities is critical, adding that missing a planting season can affect income and school fees for a full year.
The event also included audience participation, with discussions on how to support the initiative beyond awareness.
“Audience participation formed a critical part of the evening. Guests engaged directly with the panel, asked questions, and were invited into the broader responsibility of sustaining the work beyond awareness. The closing call to action was clear: support the women – not as passive subjects but as economic actors, through continued visibility, funding, product purchase, and technical assistance and strategic partnerships,” he added.
Speaking on the film’s impact, Joke Silva said storytelling has moved into action and continued support.
She said the project has grown into a structure that includes documentation, broadcast reach, and economic intervention for the women involved.
Mothers of Chibok was released in 2024 and has since been screened at film festivals and public events, including its recent recognition in Berlin.
It was released in cinemas across Nigeria and Ghana on February 27.
