Pre-production is underway for Black Tax, a short film by BillyTheGreat, following successful funding from the Arts Council in Newfoundland and Labrador. Scheduled to be filmed in both St. John’s, Canada, and Lagos, Nigeria, the project aims to explore the infamous black tax culture within African society. This news also comes with the announcement of the key industry professionals who will bring the vision to life.
Black Tax follows Laura Nonso, a Nigerian immigrant who moved to Canada with her family a decade earlier. With a strong passion for creative design, Laura’s dreams are sidelined by her father’s expectations and the financial obligations of supporting relatives back home. As she pursues a more financially stable career, an unforeseen accident plunges her into a surreal time loop where she simultaneously experiences two versions of her reality—one driven by conscious choices and the other unfolding in her subconscious.
BillyTheGreat, recognized for his award-winning short Delivery Man, which was the Eicar Film & Television School’s official submission for the 2022 Student Academy Short Film Awards, will take on the roles of writer, director, and executive producer. Co-producing with him is Mautin Tairu, who was an executive producer of Mami Wata, Nigeria’s official entry for the 2024 Oscars.
Production design will be led by Tobi Heritage Daniel, known for his work on the FilmOne original Adire, while French sound supervisor Clara Salvy will oversee the film’s audio.
Principal photography is planned for the summer of 2025, with further casting details and filming schedules to be revealed in the coming months.
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(Updated 03/02/2025: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Mautin’s role in Mami Wata; this has now been corrected. Additionally, the wrong image was initially used for BillyTheGreat, and this has also been updated.)
