“The Man Died” Nominated for Best Feature Award at Pan African Film Festival

“The Man Died”, a biopic adapted from Professor Wole Soyinka’s prison memoir, has been nominated for the Best Feature Narrative award at the 33rd Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles, USA. The festival, set to take place from February 4-17, 2025, will screen the film on February 12 and 14 under this year’s theme, “Dream Beyond.”...CONTINUE READING>>>

The nomination adds to the growing list of accolades for the film. Most recently, it won the Best African Film That Tackles an Important African Issue at the 14th Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt. It also secured Best Screenplay awards at the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Lagos and the 35th Carthage International Film Festival in Tunisia. Additionally, it received the Best Audience Choice Award at the Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (ENIFF) in Enugu.

The Pan African Film Festival officially announced the nomination through a letter signed by Miki Goral, the festival’s Filmmaker Liaison & Research Director. Dated January 28, 2025, the letter states:

“I am happy to inform you that ‘The Man Died’ has been nominated for the juried Best Feature Narrative at the Pan African Film Festival.”

International Recognition and Future Screenings

The 105-minute feature will make its U.S. debut at PAFF, having previously screened in London and North Africa. Established in 1992 by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover, the late Ja’Net DuBois, and Ayuko Babu, PAFF is recognized as the largest Black film and arts festival in the United States, showcasing over 200 Black-focused films from around the world annually.

“The Man Died” boasts a stellar cast, including Wale Ojo as Wole Soyinka, Sam Dede as Yisa, Norbert Young as the Prison Superintendent, Francis Onwochei as the Prison Controller, and Edmund Enaibe as the Commissioner. International actors Christiana Oshunniyi (UK) and Abraham Awam-Amkpa (USA) also feature prominently.

Beyond PAFF, the film will continue its global tour at the Johannesburg Film Festival (March 11-16). Special screenings are also being planned at institutions such as Florence in Italy, Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Oxford University (UK), and leading U.S. universities, including NYU, Harvard, and Ithaca College. Furthermore, negotiations are underway with major streaming platforms and international distributors.

A Story of Resistance and Survival

Produced by Zuri24 Media, The Man Died tells the gripping story of Wole Soyinka’s 27-month imprisonment by the Nigerian government in 1967 during the civil war. Detained for attempting to broker peace between Biafra and the Federal Government, Soyinka endured solitary confinement and extreme mental and physical hardship. His memoir—on which the film is based—documents his psychological struggle, his defiance against oppression, and his survival through intellectual resilience.

The screenplay was written by UK-based Bode Asiyanbi and directed by Awam Amkpa, a Nigerian-American professor at NYU. Amkpa, also an actor and playwright, is renowned for his work in postcolonial theater and African diaspora studies. The film’s producer, Femi Odugbemi, is a respected storyteller and media scholar with decades of experience in film and television production.

While The Man Died is yet to receive a general release, its festival circuit success is cementing its place as a landmark film in African cinema.