Filmmaker Michael Osheku is exploring technology-driven solutions to some of the challenges facing Nigeria’s creative industry, particularly film distribution, audience discovery and access to international markets. NigerianEconomic Reports
Osheku’s interest in technology grew from his experience as a filmmaker and his involvement in film festivals, where he faced persistent difficulties getting films discovered, distributed, and connected with audiences.
Born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and originally from Fugar in Edo State, Osheku initially studied Pharmacy at the University of Lagos before turning to writing and storytelling. He later trained at the PEFTI Film Academy and made his first documentary, ‘Survival of Avhianwu’, in 2011.
His efforts to secure festival screenings for the documentary showed him the role festivals play in creating opportunities for filmmakers and connecting productions with audiences.
He subsequently produced films including ‘Girl Child’ and ‘Salama’, with the latter screened at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) and In-Short Film Festival. He also served as executive producer of ‘The Couple Next Door’, which received international festival exposure.
In 2016, Osheku established Oshmil House Company, a media and creative outfit involved in film production and talent development. The company supported initiatives encouraging young filmmakers to use smartphones to produce films, particularly those unable to afford conventional production equipment.
The initiative also highlighted another challenge: how to connect films produced with mobile devices to audiences. This led to the establishment of the African SmartFilm International Film Festival (ASIFF) in 2017.
The festival provided a platform for mobile filmmakers and enabled Osheku to engage with practitioners working in mobile filmmaking and emerging forms of visual storytelling.
His involvement in film festivals later extended beyond ASIFF. In 2023, he served as an African Film Programmer for Festival Filmaê in Brazil and participated in programmes organised by the Mobile Innovation Network and Association (MINA) in Australia as a speaker and judge.
In 2025, he served on the jury of the Manitoba African Film Festival in Canada.
Osheku also co-founded the International Migration and Environmental Film Festival (IMEFF) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its inaugural edition was held virtually in 2021, featuring films addressing migration, environmental issues and related human experiences.
He studied Arts Management at Centennial College in Canada and graduated with honours in 2024.
His work has since increasingly focused on the intersection of technology and the creative sector. Drawing on his background in computer science, filmmaking, festival programming and distribution, Osheku is examining how digital tools can address some of the industry’s persistent challenges.
He is the founder and Creative Director of Canada-based Upheepa Media Inc. and has developed Filmdows Entertainment, which focuses on film distribution, positioning and market access.
Other technology projects associated with his current work include Filmdows, Seedoni and Culturensia, which are still under development.
For Osheku, the move into technology extends his filmmaking experience rather than departing from it. His current focus is on applying digital tools to film distribution, audience access and cultural engagement, with the broader aim of developing practical solutions to challenges within the creative industry.
The Nation
