Kava, the streaming platform founded by Inkblot Studios and FilmOne Studios, is staying true to its promise of providing a space for short films, with the release of #Messy, a new collection featuring three short films by Fatimah Binta Gimsay.
The collection, which arrives on February 12, features three of Gimsay’s short films previously released on YouTube, Laraba and Balarabe, Fine Girl, and Ijo, packaged together as a season-fitting curated drop on the fledgling platform.
Laraba and Balarabe tells the story of two former lovers who reunite unexpectedly, starring Susan Pwajok and Mallum Arik. Fine Girl uses dark comedy to explore issues of consent and respect in public spaces, featuring Obehi Aburime and Martha Ehinome. The oldest, Ijo, which put Gimsay on our radar, follows a man healing from heartbreak through dance, starring Genoveva Umeh and Charles Etubiebi.
According to Gimsay, moving to distribute her short films on Kava started after a frustrating experience on YouTube. Laraba and Balarabe had been performing strongly online, gaining momentum within its first few weeks and nearing a milestone of 700,000 views, when the channel hosting the short film was suddenly shut down. The takedown pushed her to look for more options for the film.
With Netflix, for example, already proving that short films can find a home on streaming, she planned to pitch only one film to Kava, but during discussions with the platform, the idea of releasing multiple titles as a collection was introduced. Gimsay credits Naz Onuzo, co-founder of Kava TV, and the Kava team for proposing the concept of packaging two additional films together, expanding the release into a collection.
She described the distribution process as structured, with clear communication and transparency, adding that the licensed titles will remain on Kava for an extended period, undisclosed to us.
Kava’s release of #Messy means a lot for filmmakers working in short formats. For many Nigerian filmmakers, shorts often end their run after festivals, private screenings, or a brief period on YouTube, with little long-term visibility or financial return. Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife ON+ is yet another local streamer giving a platform to short films.
All the films in the #Messy collection are written, produced, and directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay, with Susan Pwajok serving as executive producer on Laraba and Balarabe.
Gimsay is most recently known for Lowkey Adults and her work on Finding Me. Also available to stream on Kava are Reel Love, Red Circle and Insecure.
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