‘Mothers of Chibok,’ a Documentary Highlighting Women’s Resilience after the Kidnapping Crisis, Is Coming to South Africa’s Encounters Documentary Festival

Five years after premieringDaughters of Chibok, which won a Lion Award in the virtual reality category at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Nigerian filmmaker Joel ‘Kachi Benson once again brings the world to Chibok, the town in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno where insurgent terrorists, Boko Haram, kidnapped 276 girls.

Mothers of Chibok focuses on the forward-facing path some of the mothers of the kidnapped girls have forged, and continue to forge, for themselves in the 10 years since the heartbreaking event. The documentary follows four mothers through the farming season as they try to make a better living for themselves and their families, pushing for a bright future for their younger children.

In capturing the women as heroines and not just survivors, Benson demonstrates that “the women of Chibok are more than the tragedy mainly used to describe them.”

“They have not forgotten their daughters, but they’ve continued living, finding moments of joy, laughter, and purpose. This film captures their full humanity — not just the sorrow — but the strength, the courage, and the quiet moments of triumph. It’s time the world sees these women for who they truly are, not as victims, but as warriors of hope.”

Although global attention has waned since the kidnapping tragedy, reflections and calls for justice are still going on, from survivors to artists and authors who have immortalized the kidnappings. More than half of the 217 girls taken away – 59 escaped shortly after being kidnapped – are still unaccounted for, with a mediation process leading to the release of 103 of the girls.

While Mothers of Chibok once again renews attention on the kidnapping, it’s a wholesome endeavor at showing “women bravely holding onto hope in the face of adversity.”

Below are two clips from the film, including one of Yana Galang, mother to one of the kidnapped girls, negotiating the leasing price of a farm, and another teaching her children English alphabets and elementary words.

Watch the exclusive clips below and buy tickets to the film’s Encounters screening here.