Biography
Chuko Esiri is an award winning Film Producer, Director and Writer based in Nigeria. During his time in New York after completing his studies at NYU, Chuko and his brother Arie collaborated on a pair of short films: Besida (2018), which premiered at the 68th Berlinale, and Goose (2017), which had its premiere at the LA Film Festival. “Eyimofe” (This Is My Desire) is Chuko’s first feature film which earned award nominations at the Berlin International Film Festival, Dubai International Film Festival, Entrevues Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival, Torino Film Festival as well as the Valladolid International Film Festival, “Eyimofe” also won awards at the Blackstar Film Festival, Entrevues Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, São Paulo International Film Festival and World Cinema Amsterdam. At the 2021 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), the film won Achievement in Sound, Achievement in Editing, the National Film and Video Censors Board for Best Nigerian Film, and Best First Nigerian Feature Film by a Director. The board also awarded Esiri with Best Director. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, "Eyimofe" follows the stories of Mofe,a factory technician, and Rosa, a hairdresser, on their quest for what they believe will be a better life on foreign shores.