This year’s The Annual Film Mischief, which had “Shoot The Culture Too” as its theme, kicked off on October 10th. Despite arriving two hours late on day one of the festival, I was fortunate enough to catch five of the seven films screened that day: a feature film, two short films, and two documentaries.Adio Solanke and Adesuwa Omonzokpia’s Between Silence and Truth is the first film I saw, it is a poignant family drama that delves into the complexities of balancing career and family. The story follows Awele (Tope Olowoniyan), a woman whose dedication to her career ultimately strains her relationship with her husband, Daniel (Daniel Etim Effiong). When Daniel can’t take his wife’s behaviour any longer, he plans to divorce her. Awele discovers the divorce plans, drives out of the house feeling betrayed, and a tragic accident occurs. The film is a powerful reminder of the importance of prioritizing family and the potential consequences of selfishness in marriage. When Awele gets promoted, for instance, she is offered a new apartment requiring the entire family to move. On the other hand, Daniel does not see the need to move, especially because their current apartment is closer to the school he runs. It’s “little decisions” such as this that cause the back-and-forths in their marriage. Beyond family dynamics, the film highlights how past experiences can shape present-day decisions. This is evident in Daniel’s reaction to Awele’s behaviour, which echoes his mother’s actions. Daniel’s mother had also prioritized her career over family, ultimately leading her to abandon her husband, Daniel, and his brother. Recognizing the impact of this past trauma, Daniel takes control and works to repair his own family.Yinusa A. Korede’s The Gods Must Be Joking was my second watch. The short is a refreshing twist on the archetypal story of a Nigerian man living from hand to mouth. The twist makes the 23-and-a-half-minute film stand out in its own right. On Nedu’s (Paul Nnadiekwe) way out one day, the protagonist notices a dog following him. This is not strange, especially in Nigeria, where a stray dog walks behind you even after you chase it away. In this scene, we hardly see the dog and the man together in the same shot. This reminds me of the Kuleshov effect — a phenomenon where viewers derive more meaning from two different shots than from a single shot in isolation.The Gods Must be JokingThe film introduces comedy when the dog follows the protagonist home and communicates telepathically with him, explaining that he has lost his first master and the protagonist has been chosen as his new master. The dog further explains that he brings good luck to all his masters. Truthfully, luck plays out when all the people he had called earlier to beg for money start calling him and voluntarily offering double the money he had requested. The film’s title is reminiscent of the well-known 1980 film The Gods Must Be Crazy. The combination of black-and-white cinematography, comedic elements, and the short film’s unexpected resolution makes the experience memorable.Precious Iroagalachi’s documentary Iwa Ji: A Celebration of Igbo Culture, my third watch, is a captivating exploration of Igbo traditions and history. The documentary focuses on the New Yam festival while delving into various aspects of Igbo culture and ideas. It also sheds light on the tragic history of the slave trade and the Igbo people’s resistance to enslavement. A tale that stood out to me was the Igbo origin story and how yam became a marker of cultural identity. That is how man and his family began planting, multiplying, trading, and eating it. This is why yam is called “the chief of crops” among the Igbo people. Interviewees in the documentary complain that Igbo people no longer come home (the eastern Nigerian states where Igbos reside and that the white man’s culture has taken over the ways of the people.One particularly unforgettable story from the documentary focuses on the history of Igbo people who were captured and sold into slavery. Known as “Igbo Landing”, this tragic event occurred in the 19th century when a group of enslaved Igbo captives, transported to the United States, chose death over bondage. After overpowering their white captors and grounding the ship, the Igbos, led by a chief, are said to have marched into the waters, committing mass suicide rather than enduring a life of enslavement. This act has become a symbol of profound resistance and spiritual resilience among the Igbo people. Though I am not Igbo, I am deeply moved and reminded of the strength that runs through our shared African heritage and our enduring pursuit of freedom.Theo-Ziny Joel’s Evil Spirit Get Out, my fourth watch, also reminded me of what it means to be African–but not in the way that the previous film did. The short film’s story is implied in its title and exposes a major problem with African parenting. In the film, Peter’s mother always accuses him of theft. The marks on his body are physical proof of the beating he gets from her for the alleged crime. She believes an evil spirit possesses him and decides to take him to a priest, who sexually abuses Peter. She eventually reveals that she found the alleged stolen money behind her bed. Nigerian children can testify that their parents hardly own up to a fault or apologize. Sadly, it has become part of their culture. Nobweweseh Samuel Cleopas as Peter in Evil Spirit, Get OutThe biblical allusion in the film leads to a series of events resulting in Peter’s mother’s death.  “And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat” are the words Peter encounters one day as he reads Acts 10:13 in the Bible. While watching the film, I thought I knew the end of the story because it was staring me right in the face–that Peter had committed a crime. However, it is not in the way you think. The attention to detail in the film is praiseworthy, especially with the...