The Critics, a group of self-taught Nigerian filmmakers, made a documentary about their inspiring 13-year journey. This movie, shows how they went from living in tough neighborhoods in Kaduna to becoming famous around the world.
Pietra Brettkelly and The Critics directed the movie, which follows young artists like Raymond, Richard, Ronald Yusuff, Godwin, and Victor Josiah. They start with simple iPhone shoots and YouTube tutorials and work their way up to making sci-fi epics with Nigerian points of view, using more and more advanced tools, like a camera that J.J. Abrams gave them.
Their YouTube channel grows to 50,000 subscribers, which pays for a studio space, a business manager, and a lawyer, all while they go through personal highs and lows. Crocodile had its world premiere at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival. It shows their trips to Lagos and Germany, as well as community screenings that mix DIY charm with professional polish.
The The review likes the theme of perseverance but says that there are times when names, ages, and tech details are missing from the story. It uses a fly-on-the-wall style with little narration. Crocodile changes the meaning of “Nigerian filmmaker” by showing Star Wars and Joker tributes through a unique cultural lens. This shows that Nollywood’s talent is just as good as AI films.
This story of self-empowerment speaks to indie filmmakers all over the world who are going through the same things.
