Joel Kachi Benson

Joel Kachi Benson is a Nigerian documentary filmmaker and virtual reality content creator.[1][2] In 2019, he produced Daughters of Chibok,[3][4] a virtual reality film on the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping. He is the Creative Director of virtual reality film studios VR360 Stories in Lagos, Nigeria.[5][6]

Joel Kachi Benson
NationalityNigerian
Alma materCentral Film School, Aptech
OccupationFilmmaker

Background and career

Benson is from Aba, Abia state.[7] He attended Pampers Private School Lagos, College of the Immaculate Conception, Enugu and Umuagbai Secondary School, Aba. He has a diploma certificate in software engineering and a certificate in Information Systems Management from Aptech. He also has a Certificate in Filmmaking Central Film School, London.[8]

In 2018, Benson produced In Bakassi, the first VR documentary by a Nigerian filmmaker.[9][10] The film tells the story of a orphaned boy living with PTSD in one of the largest camps for Internally Displaced Persons in Maiduguri, Borno State. In Bakassi premiered at the Cairo Film Festival in November 2018, and also screened at the Berlin Film Festival and Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.[11][12] In 2019, Benson produced Daughters of Chibok, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, and won the Venice Lion for Best Immersive Story (Linear), making Benson the first African filmmaker to win the Venice Lion in this category.[13][14]

Awards

At the 2019 Venice International Film Festival, his film Daughters of Chibok,[15] won "The Best VR Story" award becoming the first African to win the award.[13][16]

In December 2019, Kachi Benson was named among the New African magazine's Top 100 Most Influential Africans.[17][18] In February 2020, Daughters of Chibok, was listed on the Forbes Top 50 XR Experiences of 2019.[19]

Filmography
Year Title
2013 Olu Amoda: A Metallic Journey[14][20]
2014 JD Okhai Ojeikere: Master Photographer[21][22]
2018 In Bakassi[12][23][11][24][4]
2019 Daughters of Chibok[25][4]

References
  1. Aisha Salaudeen; Stephanie Busari (8 September 2019). "Documentary on missing Chibok schoolgirls wins at Venice Film Festival". CNN. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  2. "'Daughters of Chibok' wins big at Venice Film Festival". The Eagle Online. 2019-09-09. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  3. "'Daughters of Chibok' wins award at Venice Film Festival". 2019-09-09. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  4. "'Daughters of Chibok' makes it to Venice Film Festival". Punch Newspapers. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  5. "Nigerian filmmaker's VR documentary on the missing Chibok girls wins at Venice Film Festival". www.pulse.ng. 2019-09-09. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  6. "'Daughters Of Chibok' Africa's Only Virtual Reality Film To Make United States' Film Festival". Sahara Reporters. 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  7. "My agenda for making Daughters of Chibok –Joel 'Kachi Benson". The Sun Nigeria. 2019-10-11. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  8. Oludimu, Titilola (2019-09-18). "A Nigerian VR filmmaker's journey to international acclaim at the 2019 Venice Film Festival". Techpoint.Africa. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  9. "Kachi Benson's 'In Bakassi' goes to Berlinale film festival". Pulse Nigeria. 2019-02-05. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  10. Kolawole, Oluwanifemi (2019-10-02). "How Nigerian VR startups are warming their way into mainstream acceptance". Techpoint.Africa. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  11. "'In Bakassi' to Screen at Hot Docs Festival". The Nation Newspaper. 2019-02-26. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  12. "In Bakassi lights up Berlin Film Festival". guardian.ng. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  13. "Daughters Of Chibok puts Benson on global stage". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2019-09-14. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  14. "Lights Camera Action Film Festival Synopses Africa cont'd". guardian.ng. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  15. "Nwaafọ Igbo eritela nturuugo n'ihe nkiri na mba ofesi". 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  16. How Joel Kachi Benson used VR to produce Daughters of Chibok documentary, retrieved 2019-11-19
  17. "100 Most Influential Africans". newafricanmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  18. "Who are the New African Magazine MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICANS of 2019 and why? - New African Magazine". newafricanmagazine.com. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  19. Damiani, Jesse. "The Top 50 XR Experiences Of 2019". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  20. "iREP 2015: Film journey into Africa's richness". The Nation Newspaper. 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  21. "Ojeikere documentary goes international". The Nation Newspaper. 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  22. "Africiné". www.africine.org. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  23. "Kachi Benson's 'In Bakassi' goes to Berlinale film festival". Pulse Nigeria. 2019-02-05. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  24. "Venice Film Festival: Joel Kachi Benson Wins Best Virtual Reality Story". ZODML. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  25. "BBC World Service - Newsday, Chibok documentary wins film award". BBC. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
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