”I Find the Defendant’, a short film by The Trybe, an emerging Nigerian film production company, debuted in Lagos with a gripping courtroom drama exploring fame, power, and consent.
The Trybe is a film production company passionate about telling authentic African stories, and aims to tell stories that spark conversation, question the norm, and overall, provide premium entertainment.
The short film with 95 percent crew members from Ebonylife Creative Academy 2025 third intake, was produced by Oguguah Denzel Ugochukwu, and directed by Michael Ajayi.
Michael Ajayi, diretor, I Find the Defendant (IFTD), stated that the short film follows a Grammy nominated Nigerian jazz star accused of rape by his girlfriend, sending his career into a free fall.
“IFTD is a Rashomon effect that explores a separate amount of the same incident; is a young woman sexually abused or is the man falsely accused?” Ajayi stated.
He disclosed that the film has been submitted to major festivals and is being prepared for submission to international festivals with news of screenings and other announcements to follow.
He added that in a tense Lagos courtroom, fame, power, and consent collide as the nation struggles to defend the truth.
Oguguah Denzel Ugochukwu, producer, I Find the Defendant, stated that the short film is a bold, uncompromising body of work that examines how institutions, celebrity culture and public opinion influences and shapes the pursuit of justice.
According to him, the film arrives at a moment when consent, accountability, and the power of fame have never been more urgent in Nigeria and across the world.
The film stars, Belu Ogbuka, Empress Allen, Precious Onyekwelibe, Aaron Ayo Akinyemi, Benedict Emmanuel Tochukwu Odoh, Constance Nnena Izuogu, Nisola Martins, and Joy Ozichi – a cast that brings raw and compelling performances to one of the most pressing conversations of our time.
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