Winifred Iguwa’s short film ‘IDIA’ is making its first stop in the United Kingdom this October as part of York St John University’s Black History Month celebrations, before heading home to Lagos for its world premiere at the 2025 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).
Shot entirely in the UK, ‘IDIA’ is a 22-minute coming-of-age dance film that blends modern movement with ancestral memory. It follows a young aspiring dancer, Idia, who faces ridicule after expressing her desire to take the lead role in a performance. Shaken by rejection and insecurity, she rediscovers courage through her cultural roots, drawn to the strength and symbolism of her namesake, Queen Idia of the ancient Benin Kingdom.
In the director’s hands, the story is less about dance and more about identity. “I wanted to tell a story about finding strength in one’s heritage,” she says. “‘IDIA’ is a reminder that our culture holds the power to heal and transform.”
The film’s title character is played by Mia McKenzie, a Scottish-Nigerian student at York St John University, in her acting debut. Aiso-osa Ehigiator stars as her father, Osas, a devoted single parent whose faith in his daughter helps guide her back to herself, while Bonnie Milnes takes on the role of Jo, the demanding dance instructor who inadvertently pushes Idia toward transformation.
Behind the camera, the film is a showcase of emerging and established talents. Cinematographer Marcos Avlonitis lends the film its moody yet vivid palette, while editor Jacob Bentley-Green shapes the film’s emotional rhythm. The music, composed by Rohail Javed with co-composer Simon Appleson, mixes West African drums with atmospheric electronic tones, mirroring Idia’s internal journey between tradition and modernity.
For Winifred Iguwa, a Nigerian-born, UK-based filmmaker and founder of the Winifred Iguwa Network (WIN), ‘IDIA’ continues a creative path defined by cultural introspection. A graduate of York St John University’s Media Production programme, she has previously directed television series such as ‘Venge and Dust’, as well as award-winning shorts ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Lost but Found’. Through ‘IDIA’, she returns to themes of courage, belonging, and the quiet work of becoming visible.
“Set in the UK but spiritually rooted in Nigeria, I wanted to show how identity shifts when we understand where we come from,” Iguwa explains. “Dance, for me, is more than performance; it’s a language of self-belief.”
The film will be screened exclusively on October 21, 2025, at York St John University, with showings across both its York and London campuses. The York screening will be held in Room FS036 at 4:00 PM, as part of the university’s programme marking Black History Month.
From there, the dance drama journeys to Lagos for its world festival premiere at AFRIFF 2025, running from November 2 to 8, marking the start of what promises to be an international festival circuit.
‘IDIA’ is as personal as it is universal, an ode to young women learning to take up space and a reminder that the spotlight belongs to those brave enough to step into it.
