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Ọgalanya Chimnọmso Franklin

@shutterwhore

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Director| Cinematographer| Visual Strategist
Telling Unique African Stories
Documentary @artistsofthefirstlight

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Most of Sundays works seek to glorify and celebrate women. From works like “Mama Ejima” to this piece which is a part of his “Umuada collection”, Sundays works puts women at the heart of our lives and society.

Throughout history Women have been the very fabric holding life together and Sundays works puts them in the light They deserve.

We spoke about how women barely get 7 days out of the month to be normal. Yet Théy power through daily activities of being human. We agreed on how much power women have, a strength that is unimaginable and a perseverance that holds us all together.

Mgbe Ụfọdu, ha n’eme Ka ndi agwụ n’akpa, mana ọdighi Ihe anyi puri ime na nwanyi anọghị ya

#artistsofthefirstlight taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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3 months ago

I’m so delighted to receive the news that we’ve been selected to screen and have our world premier at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival in San Jose California. I’m sending my deepest gratitude to the whole team and to producer @odianoseniyomon for all the work put in.

Directing “You of all people” was challenging and was my first foreign language film, but everyone was so accommodating.

This film takes up a culture and questions how well it serves the people . It confronts a topic we are all too familiar with. And it’s a form of nod to women who feel trapped in positions that are harmful to them, for the greater good of others. taken in Ekpoma Edo State by @shutterwhore

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Bili Kam Bili was born from a question that plagued my mind: what happens when a war ends on paper but never ends inside the home and in the mind. The Biafran war shaped generations of Nigerians, not only through loss of life, but through silence, resentment, tribal hatred and fear.

This film does not attempt to retell the war story, instead it examines how unprocessed violence returns in private spaces, often against women and children who carry no responsibility for it.

This film has no dialogue because I wanted people to sit with the silence and reflect on how much messed up the mind can get.

I’m grateful to @officialbettyagbo for all the overwhelming contributions and support. Shout out to @daniel.ngozika and @ezigbo_trailers for assisting with this poster , it entirely reflects what I needed it to. And gratitude to all the team members who of course were my friends

#bilikambili #mlwbs taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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6 months ago

FACES OF UTOPIAN HEALTHCARE

We surely cannot discuss patient safety, caregiver Education and CPR/Basic life support in Nigeria, without mentioning @utopianhealthcare . This Organization, even without a lot of support have trained over 1400 caregivers across Nigeria.

These caregivers have gone on to become leading caregivers in different hospitals and homes across the world. Started from our beloved Enugu and now with branches in Abuja & lagos, this organization held on to hope, hope of a better attention to patient safety, a better attention to home care and a better attention to Basic life support across Nigeria.

At a time when CPR was just a myth, utopian healthcare had and is teaching CPR and hosting free community outreach programs and education.

These are some of the faces of the trained caregivers who are already out there creating change across the world. I too trained and became a certified caregiver under this organization. Over 5 years of quality, training, internship experience, Utopian Healthcare stands strong on its principle of patient safety and best care.

This is not a promotional post, if anything, it’s a love letter to an organization I have come to identify with its purpose, vision and work and dearly fallen in love with the teachers and other staff.

We had no reliable caregivers in this country and that gap went beyond our hospitals, we see them in our homes. Till now, people hire random inexperienced people (sometimes children) as maids and then they automatically become caregivers to their aged parents and children. This has and still is leading to harm and death.

Utopian came from a desire to “Prevent avoidable harm and death” and Théy have kept their words across the years.

So let those who are making changes here at home get the praise they deserve. And may the seeds planted continue to grow and bear fruit across our healthcare system and homes. Both in Nigeria and abroad. They have not only helped keep patients safe, they have been able to provide trusted certifications which has helped many secure jobs across the world.

From the deepest part of my heart, THANK YOU @utopianhealthcare for all you do and have done. taken in Abuja, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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23 days ago

When producer and writer @odianoseniyomon approached me to direct YOU OF ALL PEOPLE, I didn’t know what to expect. But I met a rich culture, beautiful language and the familiar complicated traditions we all have in our own communities. At the heart of it, we all are having the human experience.

It was a tough but rewarding experience, and i’m absolutely delighted taken in Ekpoma Edo State by @shutterwhore

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a month ago

When I wrote Bili Ka m Bili, I didn’t want to write about the war, I had neither experienced it nor read what I felt was enough to write about it. Throughout my storytelling journey, my focus had been to write stories I knew, stories rooted in my own human experiences and those of the people around me.

I had seen the chaos a man had brought into his family after he made it back from the war. I grew up with the noise of his daily “workout” on his wife. Growing up, I felt he was just thé villian. Until I heard his story. Then the question for me became “What happens after a war ends on paper, but is still ongoing in many micro-occurring ways? What happens when a when unresolved trauma and tribal conflict/resentment gets into the home? And how does this affect women and children who carry no responsibility for it?

As Bili Ka m Bili is gradually completing its festival runs and getting ready for screening in Enugu, I’m forced to reflect on why this story was written, to reflect on the real people, real incidents that had motivated it and wonder what the journey ahead will be…

Have we really discussed the war properly? And have we looked at what it has left in our minds. Resentment and anger must be let out in some way, if restrained, it comes out in the most demonic ways.

#bilikambili taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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3 months ago

Here are 5 facts about sculptor Sunday Chukwu:

1. He created a record-breaking 30-foot Ijele masquerade sculpture.
One of Sunday Chukwu’s most celebrated works is a monumental 30-foot metal sculpture of the Ijele masquerade, a revered symbol of Igbo culture. The artwork reinterprets this traditional cultural icon within contemporary African art.

2. He specializes in large-scale metal sculptures.
Rather than using wood or stone, Chukwu primarily works with steel sheets and rods, welding and fabricating monumental sculptures that explore African history, identity, and cultural heritage.

3. He originally planned to become a medical doctor.
During secondary school, Chukwu focused on the sciences and intended to study medicine. His passion for art later led him to pursue sculpture instead, eventually studying Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Benin.

4. He is both an artist and an educator.
In addition to creating sculptures, Chukwu serves as a lecturer in sculpture at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, where he teaches and mentors emerging artists. He also directs The N Art Gallery in Enugu.

5. He received a regional distinction for his contributions to sculpture.
In 2023, Sunday Chukwu was recognized as the “Most Distinguished Sculptor in Southeastern Nigeria,” acknowledging his impact on contemporary Nigerian sculpture and cultural preservation.

#artistsofthefirstlight #art #sculpture taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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3 months ago

Days taken in Abuja, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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a month ago

We who wrestle with God

#artistsofthefirstlight taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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3 months ago

The study of @chukwuartempire took us to IMT (institute of management and Technology Enugu) where he teaches in the arts faculty. I was thrilled to see the beautiful works done by students and old students of the institute.

Art makes life a lot more tolerable and as we look at Sunday, and the school where he makes impact, we also look at the amazing people who has contributed to the growth of art in the Southeastern Nigeria.

#artistsofthefirstlight #sculpture #art taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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3 months ago

Simple moments

while teaching the @alaigbocreativeworkshop taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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a month ago

#artistsofthefirstlight came from my search for the deepest artists who I admire and who are making impact with their art in the southeast. I’m studying thé people whose works bring depth and meaning.

We will see them for who they are. These are artists creating in the East where the first light of the day comes from.

This whole series will be shot entirely on Helios 44 lenses. Pushing myself with an old manual vintage lens to better keep things natural and true. It’ll be an interesting journey and I’m delighted to share every step of it.

Having the opportunity to study Sunday Chukwu, @chukwuartempire is the highlight of the month. From his popular work on the Ijele masquerade statue to other amazing pieces. We kick off this documentary with an artist that I admire so much.

#art #artist #artistsofthefirstlight #sculpture taken in Enugu, Nigeria by @shutterwhore

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