MMANWU is a 2D animated short film set in modern day Nigeria. The film follows Ogechi, a Nigerian-American teenager, as she travels back to Nigeria after the death of her grandfather. Riddled with grief, Ogechi’s mourning is interrupted when she’s confronted with an aspect of her culture she does not understand, forcing her to contend with her identity as both Nigerian and American. Centered around Igbo-Nigerian culture and traditions, Mmanwu mixes magical realism and horror to explore themes of grief, spirituality and cross-cultural understanding.