DOC NYC Review: Mothers Of Chibok

Another film that we got to watch during this year's DOC NYC festival is Mothers Of Chibok, a documentary that takes place ten years following the tragic 2014 Chibok Kidnappings, the film

captures the full humanity of the Chibok community showcasing to the world that the women of Chibok are not victims but warriors of hope in the face of adversity. The film centers around the small village in Nigeria as a community of mothers forge a path forward after the horrific tragedy. Still having hope that their daughters are still alive they bond together through religion and tragedy. The filmmakers take us through the daily lives of these mothers to showcase even though they have hope their lives still goes on. Schools, sickness, harvesting is all they try to navigate in the country. There is some flashbacks throughout the film that can be disturbing but it is there to show the media have forgotten the past and moved away from the tragedy. The mothers on the other hand are still inquiring, still hoping and still living thinking that their daughters are out there somewhere. There are scenes where the mothers are trying to get their children into school and the struggle they have thinking about their girls were abducted in class. Those moments are heartbreaking when you see the children crying as they have to remain there as the mothers leave. Another scene is where the kids have to go to the doctor. Scenes like this is what makes the film so gripping and emotional. You feel for the children even though they are being kids, you sense fear and a unsettling feeling because of the conditions they are in. A important part of the documentary is how a tragedy can affect generations of families especially when there is uncertainty surrounding the survivors or lack of. We highly recommend seeing this documentary when it is released in 2025. Very significant and important today where women's rights is a major issue in Africa.

Mothers of Chibok is directed by Joel 'Kachi' Benson and produced by Hunting Lane Films, Impact Partners, Shark Island Productions and JB Multimedia Studios.