Crocodile

In Kaduna, Nigeria, a group of kids turn a backyard into a sci-fi universe using a single phone and boundless imagination. Filmed over thirteen years, Crocodile follows their homemade film collective as creativity becomes a lifeline and a bold act of rewriting their futures.

In Kaduna, Nigeria, a group of enterprising young people set out to make a movie. Armed with a single mobile phone, erratic electricity and their wild imaginations, they begin their cinematic journey making science-fiction films that turn everyday life into a future world set in the year 2089. Against all odds, their guerrilla sci-fi films travel far beyond their local streets, gaining international recognition from names like Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman and Blacklist founder Franklin Leonard.

Thirteen years later, the group is still making movies under the collective known as The Critics. Crocodile places The Critics both in front and behind the camera as it charts the journey of these industrious and imaginative filmmakers navigating everyday hardships, growing up, political engagements, their passion for filmmaking and more. Directing alongside The Critics, Tribeca alum Pietra Brettkelly weaves together their legacy in this coming-of-age documentary that captures the transformative power of storytelling.—Faridah Gbadamosi