After weeks of filming in Northern Nigeria, filmmaker Shimataver Igbawua has wrapped principal photography on his debut feature, ‘Language of the Wind.’ Production officially concluded on July 17, 2025, marking a defining moment in a creative journey that has quietly gathered momentum over the past year.
Shimataver Igbawua first rose to wider attention in 2024, when he was selected as one of ten emerging filmmakers for the British Council’s Film Lab Africa, an initiative supporting bold new African voices. As part of the lab, he created ‘Salamatu’s Rhapsody,’ a coming-of-age short that screened at the Nigerian International Film & TV Summit, was officially selected for Film Africa 2024 in London, and received recognition from the UK Film Awards.
That film marked the beginning of a sharp and focused ascent. Now, just a year later, Shimataver has written, produced, and directed his first feature independently, working with a small, dedicated team driven by vision and intent.
Reflecting on the project, Igbawua describes it as “everything I’ve been becoming as an artist, as a producer, and as a storyteller.” He has deliberately kept details of the film under wraps, choosing not to release a synopsis, teaser, or promotional material. “It was made with care, and I want audiences to meet it with the same reverence,” he says.
‘Language of the Wind’ isn’t just a film for the filmmaker; it’s a statement of purpose. “It’s personal, it’s cultural, it’s layered and I want audiences to discover it the way we created it: with patience and wonder.”
In the months leading up to the feature shoot, Shimataver was also selected for the CcHUB Media & Entertainment Hub Champions Program, a gender-equitable storytelling fellowship that placed him in the company of respected figures like Joke Silva, Biodun Stephen, Omoni Oboli, and Uche Pedro. As part of the program, he travelled to the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York for a global learning exchange.
“Last year, I made a short film with grant support,” he says. “This year, I’ve made a feature with my own hands and tribe. It’s humbling. It’s wild. It’s real.”
Beyond his own work, Shimataver also served as Associate Producer on the Sundance-winning Nigerian film ‘Mami Wata,’ where he contributed to sponsorship and brand partnership strategy. That experience further sharpened his understanding of both the creative and operational aspects of film production.
With post-production now underway and a world premiere on the horizon, ‘Language of the Wind’ is almost fit and ready to come into the world.
