By Prisca Sam-Duru

Doyinsola Ajayi’s ‘Angel in the stone’, has been officially invited to participate in the major Sony Future Filmmakers Awards programme holding in Los Angeles, California in the United States along with other top emerging filmmakers across the world.

‘Angel in the stone’s invitation came as a result of the global recognition it earned at the Sony Future Filmmakers Awards in the student category.

The film, which is a Nigerian short student film, is the only Nigerian film to be shortlisted among 30 films globally for the awards. It is also among 11,750 films submitted by about 7,500 filmmakers from 158 countries and territories.

The film, directed by Miss Doyinsola Ajayi, a budding and passionate filmmaker, is about a reclusive autistic teenager, Shalewa, who finds comfort in building and repairing objects using metal scraps.

Shalewa who is constantly tormented by some mischievous young villagers in her age group, often retreats into her own world of creation. But when a severe fish shortage in the village river threatens her mother’s livelihood, thereby pushing the family into debt and the risk of eviction, Shalewa is determined to use her unique skills to help the family.

Speaking about the nomination, an enthusiastic Doyinsola said, “This nomination means so much to me. It’s a testament of the hard work and dedication that went into making this film. The film has brought opportunities that we didn’t see coming and I am very grateful to have been selected to direct this film.”

‘Angel in the Stone’ has already been featured by some leading international entertainment platforms such as Variety, Alvinology among others.

According to her, “Angel in the Stone is a heartfelt and socially conscious short film produced during our time as students of the prestigious EbonyLife Creative Academy. The skills, knowledge, and mentorship we received at the academy were instrumental in bringing this story to life, and this moment represents not just a win for our team and the school, but a proud leap forward for the future of Nigerian storytelling on a global scale.”

Born and raised in Lagos, Doyinsola Ajayi, is a filmmaker whose passion for storytelling was ignited at an early age. Growing up in a household where creativity was encouraged, she found solace and inspiration in the world of films, books, and visual arts.

Her journey into filmmaking began when she would write short scripts in her journals and serve as coordinator of drama competitions in her secondary school.

During her university days, Doyinsola started a live radio show for Nigerian/African called “Talk About It” where she spotlighted everything African, from music to film to books and a number of other things.

After completing her University degree in International Relations at the University of Reading, UK, Doyinsola started off as an intern journalist at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London and after eight years of working in brand marketing and communications, crafting exciting campaigns for both local and international brands, she decided to make the bold decision to delve into filmmaking.

Armed with a passion for storytelling and an insatiable thirst for learning, Doyinsola excelled as top 25 for the 2023 Accelerate Filmmaker Project where she believes the fire for film making was ignited.

Leaving Accelerate, Doyinsola has produced and directed two short films, “Do or Die and MAKI,” both of which have been officially selected to screen in local and international film festivals. In September 2023, Doyinsola was accepted into Ebonylife Creative Academy (ELCA).

In 2024, Doyinsola was selected as one of the budding directors to direct an all Indian-cast film as part of a film program sponsored by the Mississauga Arts Council in Ontario, Canada.

‘Angel in the Stone’ won 11 awards including best directing at the Academy’s graduation ceremony and also got a seat as the first runner up for best short film at the Revo, plus short film competition where part of the proceeds from the competition was donated to Anthos School (A school for autistic students).

Angel in the Stone has also bagged an official selection at the Toronto Nollywood International film festival last year and was in competition for the best female director award.