The Critics company is an award-winning multimedia and entertainment company in Kaduna, Nigeria. Known for its Sci-Fi films, it aims to create magical experiences through the art of filmmaking. After gaining global recognition in 2019, the group of teenagers have continued to make short films in different genres. Their work, Chase, has amassed over 1 Million views on Youtube. The company has a diversified area of specialisation, including movies, visual effects, animations and advertisements.

Their $2000 grant will produce Wrong Answers Only, about a director who navigates content creation in a time of limited human interaction.

"As filmmakers, the future of film is an area that continues to excite us. Predicting correctly what the future holds will change everything especially with the new realities of the pandemic. As creators, we must find new ways to collaborate and work with others whether remotely or through some new technology," said Ridwan Abdullateef. "We know that in the near future, talents might not physically need to be on set - Directors can coordinate from a studio space or even through the screen. We hope to push the conversation into a new reality."

He said the grant allows to keep producing work that shifts perceptions about African creativity. "The grant is everything to us. It validates the work we do as young creators and has inspired us to do even more."

The end goal of the work is to produce work that's authentic to Africa. "Growing up, we consumed a lot of western content and realised the Africa we see is not the one we live in. We see ourselves landing on the moon, exploring space travel and solving climate change - we have to shift the narrative to inspire people like us, the next generation who'll take over after we are long gone."

Youtube:The Critics