Remember Me has received Seven (7) Official Selections at International Film Festivals, including Three (3) Awards and an Honourable Mention.
Written, Produced and Directed by Toluwalola Kasali
Documentary – Short Description
This documentary tells the stories of people who have been forced to flee their homes due to the Boko Haram conflict in North-East Nigeria and highlights some of their experiences living in camps and host communities. Despite all that they have been through, they have not given up on their dreams. This documentary shows their strength and resilience through the process of trying to rebuild their lives with dignity. It also demonstrates solutions that empower displaced persons to improve their state of mind, earn a living, and end their protracted displacement. It aims to inform, educate and raise awareness.
Film Festival Selection and Award Information
These recognitions are a testament to the power of humanity and the stories of the people behind the numbers – the experiences, strength, resilience, and dreams of Internally Displaced People.
1. International Migration and Environmental Film Festival
Remember Me received an Official Selection and was Specially Mentioned at the 2021 International Migration and Environmental Film Festival. The Festival aims to present the best international film, documentary, photo, and artwork to raise awareness and encourage conversations about migration, trafficking, refugees, pollution, habitat loss, and climate change.
Remember Me received an Official Selection at the 2021 Global Peace Film Festival. The Global Peace Film Festival uses the power of moving images to further the cause of peace on earth. This festival creates a place for open dialogue, using films as catalysts for change.
3. International Social Change Film Festival
Remember Me received an Official Selection and will be showcased at the 10th International Social Change Film Festival (aka ChangeFest)!!! The International Social Change Film Festival is an international celebration of our common humanity through film, music, art & fashion.
4. A Show For A Change Film Festival
Remember Me received an Official Selection and won an Editing Award at the A Show For A Change Film Festival in 2021. This Film Festival through Movikarma, is focused on empowering underrepresented talent to transform Hollywood.
5. Docs Without Borders Film Festival
Remember Me received an Official Selection at the Docs Without Borders Film Festival in 2022. It also received a Merit Award in the Social Issues category in Fall 2021. Docs Without Borders Film Festival (DWBFF) is a festival dedicated to documentaries and docu-dramas.
6. Brazil International Monthly Independent Film Festival
Remember Me received an Official Selection and Award at the IMDb qualifying Brazil International Monthly Independent Film Festival – BIMIFF.
Remember Me received an Official Selection at the ETHOS Film Awards International Film Festival 2022. This festival celebrates purpose driven films. It also supports and honours filmmakers who impact the world with a message that serves society.
Documentary Information
Remember Me tells the story of people who have been forced to flee their homes due to the Boko Haram conflict in North-East Nigeria and highlights some of their experiences living in camps and host communities. The ongoing conflict has displaced over 2 million people, and more than 50% of them have been living in this situation for more than five years, making their displacement prolonged.
They face abuse, exploitation, and discrimination to meet their basic needs and deal with anxiety about their future. Women and children represent over 75 percent of the displaced population and are particularly vulnerable when in need of food, water, shelter, personal and menstrual hygiene items. Despite years of humanitarian assistance, they continue to depend on infrequent relief distributions to meet their daily needs and are unable to become self-reliant, which affects their state of mind, self-esteem, and ability to rebuild their lives with dignity.
In addition to highlighting their experiences, this documentary also proffers solutions that combine psychosocial and vocational skills support to achieve self-reliance, which serves as a bridge to close the transition gap from aid-dependence to sustainable solutions. It demonstrates solutions that empower displaced persons to improve their state of mind, earn a living, and end their protracted displacement.
This documentary aims to inform, educate and raise awareness.
When Can I Watch the Documentary?
This documentary will be showcased at International Film Festivals between September and October 2021. It will be available to watch online (free) following the showing at film festivals.
The documentary is now available to watch.
Read the Q &A with the Director, Toluwalola Kasali
Director’s Statement
This is a project that is very close to my heart and has been for many years. About five years ago, I was driving to work in Lagos, South-West Nigeria. I listened to the radio as I was stuck in the morning rush-hour traffic and the news segment came up. They discussed the challenges men, women, and children faced as they fled their homes in North-East Nigeria to survive attacks by Boko Haram. I knew at that moment that I wanted to do something about it, but I had no idea what or how.
That morning, I arrived at my office where I worked as a lead research analyst and asked myself a simple question – “what skill do you possess right now that can help to make a difference?” So, I turned to research – I published my first report titled “An Integrated Approach to Rehabilitating Internally Displaced Persons with dignity” in 2015, which focused on providing a framework to empower displaced persons through counselling, skills acquisition, and resources in order to achieve self-reliance, leave the camps and rebuild their lives with dignity.
Over the years, I have continued to advocate for displaced persons to improve their state of mind and earn a living in order to close the transition gap from aid-dependence to self-reliance. I have also influenced global policies on forced displacement by speaking at high-level meetings organised by the WHO, World Bank, and UK government, publishing articles, reports, and a book. This documentary is another tool to help educate, create awareness, proffer solutions and drive discussions on the need to use self-reliance as a bridge to end protracted displacement.
I want to see a world where people who have been forced to flee their homes are empowered through psychosocial support, vocational skills training, and resources to improve their self-confidence, rebuild their livelihood, and enable reintegration into society with dignity.
