Lekki International Film Festival: Cinema, Advertising and Spoken Word One in Creative Space
Under the theme “The Creative Community and Social Action,” LEKKIFEST 2026 seeks to redefine the boundaries of contemporary filmmaking and celebrate the growing influence of African creative expression.
Venue of the Lekki International Film Festival. Image courtesy of Lekkifest 2026.
Lekki International Film Festival returns to Lagos on 17–21 November 2026.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAGOS, NIGERIA - 26 October 2026
Under the theme “The Creative Community and Social Action,” LEKKIFEST 2026 seeks to redefine the boundaries of contemporary filmmaking and celebrate the growing influence of African creative expression.
The Lekki International Film Festival (LEKKIFEST) will return to Lagos from 17 to 21 November 2026 for its second edition, bringing together filmmakers, advertising professionals, documentary producers, poets, spoken word performers and other creative practitioners in a five-day celebration of artistic expression and cultural engagement.
First held in 2019, the festival returns with an expanded creative vision that challenges conventional distinctions between commercial filmmaking, cinematic storytelling and literary performance.
Under the overarching theme “THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ACTION,” LEKKIFEST 2026 will explore how creative expression influences public consciousness, shapes cultural identities and contributes to social dialogue.
The festival will take place at Iwalewa Art Gallery, 29A Chris Madueke Drive, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, with a programme of film screenings, creative commercial presentations, literary performances, industry discussions and awards.
Three Creative Disciplines, One Festival
Unlike conventional film festivals that concentrate primarily on feature films and documentaries, LEKKIFEST 2026 embraces three interconnected creative disciplines.
FILM'S BEST celebrates cinematic achievement across feature films, short films, documentaries and indigenous-language productions.
CREATIVE MEDIA AWARDS recognises the artistic and technical accomplishments of advertising agencies, commercial filmmakers and creative communication professionals.
SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD brings poetry, literary readings and spoken word performance into the festival environment, recognising their increasingly significant relationship with cinema, visual culture and contemporary storytelling.
The festival's organisers believe that the distinctions traditionally separating these creative disciplines have become increasingly artificial.
Advertising commercials frequently employ the same cinematic techniques as feature films, while spoken word performances increasingly incorporate visual storytelling, music, movement and film.
By presenting these disciplines within a common festival framework, LEKKIFEST hopes to encourage new conversations, collaborations and creative possibilities.
Recognising African Creative Excellence
The 2026 edition has attracted the attention and participation of filmmakers, advertising agencies and spoken word artists whose work reflects the diversity of contemporary African creative expression.
Among the advertising agencies participating in the festival's curated selection programme is SO&U, one of Nigeria's established creative communication companies, which has nominated commercial productions for consideration in the Creative Media Awards.
The festival's documentary selections include IRIAMA: AN ABIRIBA FESTIVAL, a cultural documentary by photographer and filmmaker Philips Akwari, whose work explores the heritage and traditions of the Abiriba people of southeastern Nigeria.
The film reflects an important dimension of the festival's programming: the role of documentary cinema in preserving cultural memory and bringing indigenous African experiences to wider audiences.
The Spoken & Written Word programme similarly draws attention to a dynamic generation of poets and performers whose work is expanding the possibilities of literary expression.
For LEKKIFEST, these different artistic practices belong to a broader continuum of creativity.
A Platform For Creative Dialogue
Beyond screenings and performances, the festival will provide opportunities for conversations about the evolving responsibilities of creative professionals in contemporary society.
The opening evening, scheduled for Tuesday, 17 November, will feature an interaction between the press and the creative community under the theme:
“NOW THAT I BELONG HERE IN THIS ART SPACE.”
On Wednesday, 18 November, a festival seminar will examine the question:
“IS CREATIVE COMMUNICATION WORTH TAKING SERIOUSLY?”
The discussion will consider the cultural, artistic and social significance of advertising and other forms of commercially commissioned creative work.
Film premieres, commercial screenings and spoken word presentations will continue across the festival's five-day programme.
The organisers envisage LEKKIFEST as a meeting point for creative professionals who might otherwise operate within separate industries and professional networks.
Building An International Cultural Platfrom
Although based in Lagos, LEKKIFEST has been conceived as an international platform for the appreciation, exchange and development of creative work.
The festival's longer-term vision is to encourage connections between African filmmakers and their counterparts across the world while providing greater visibility for creative practices that remain underrepresented within conventional film festival structures.
Its organisers see Lagos, one of Africa's most energetic centres of filmmaking, advertising, music, literature and digital culture, as a particularly appropriate setting for this ambition.
The 2026 edition represents a further stage in building a sustainable cultural institution capable of supporting creative exchange, professional recognition and international collaboration.
Rather than measuring its success solely by audience numbers, LEKKIFEST is placing particular emphasis on the quality of creative participation, the development of lasting professional relationships and the establishment of a distinctive identity within the international festival landscape.
The Creative Community And Social Action
At the heart of LEKKIFEST 2026 is the conviction that creative work has consequences beyond entertainment.
Films can challenge assumptions, preserve historical experiences and reveal unfamiliar worlds.
Advertising can influence social attitudes and shape the language of contemporary culture.
Poetry and spoken word can articulate personal and collective experiences with an immediacy that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries.
By bringing these disciplines together, LEKKIFEST hopes to demonstrate that creativity is not simply an industry but also an important form of social participation.
The festival's return in November 2026 offers an opportunity to explore these possibilities within a shared cultural space.
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Festival Information
Event: Lekki International Film Festival (LEKKIFEST 2026)
Dates: 17–21 November 2026
Venue: Iwalewa Art Gallery, 29A Chris Madueke Drive, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Nigeria.
Theme: The Creative Community and Social Action
Programmes: FILM'S BEST | CREATIVE MEDIA AWARDS | SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD
Festival enquiries and media contact:
Lekki International Film Festival
Email: info@lekkifest.com
WhatsApp: +234 803 305 2279
International: +44 7309 984744
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Notes
The Lekki International Film Festival (LEKKIFEST) is an international creative arts festival established to recognise excellence in filmmaking, creative media and literary performance.
The festival held its inaugural edition in 2019 and returns for its second edition in November 2026.
Its programming encompasses feature films, short films, documentaries, indigenous-language cinema, advertising commercials, spoken word poetry and literary readings.
LEKKIFEST is an initiative of Lekki International Film Festival Limited, with corporate registration in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
The festival is committed to developing a distinctive platform for artistic recognition, creative collaboration and cultural exchange.
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