A film dedicated to telling the story of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, “Waiting for Hassana”, will be premiered in the U.S. on Friday.

The short documentary, the first Nigerian production ever selected to debut at the prestigious Sundance International Film Festival, focuses on the Chibok girls.

“WAITING FOR HASSANA is a powerful short documentary directed by Ifunanya Maduka and produced by Uzodinma Iweala and Ifunanya Maduka.

“It will premiere at the Sundance International Film Festival on Jan. 20, 2017.

“The short documentary, WAITING FOR HASSANA, tells the story of the Chibok abductions from a single perspective — a voice of one of the fifty-seven escapees.

“The film was shot over the course of 2016 in Nigeria by Nigerian cinematographer, Victor Okhai.

“Nnamdi Asomugha, a Nigerian-American and former NFL cornerback turned producer, is the primary backer and executive producer on the project.

“Gallerist, Edward Tyler Nahem, and philanthropists, Ann and Andrew Tisch, are also executive producers,” the statement said.

With 46,660 attendees in 2016, Sundance is the largest independent film festival in the U.S.

Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers.

It explained that WAITING FOR HASSANA is a film that seeks to reframe the narrative about the Chibok abductions by emphasising the strength and perseverance of an interrupted friendship that is both a source of profound pain and intense motivation to pursue a better life through education.

NAN