Project Detail

MUSCLE

Synopsis

With no single protagonist or linear narrative, the film immerses us in a spectacle of strength through an intimate portrait of bodybuilders in the slums of Lagos. Inflated muscles, bulging veins and luminous skin glistening with sweat fill the screen. Shot almost entirely in close-ups, the camera hovers so near its subjects, moving softly like breath on skin, that at times figures become blurred, abstracted forms. Karimah Ashadu’s slow, measured pans across backs, chests and arms meditate on visibility, drawing attention to the embodiment and representation of the Black male body without rendering it singular or fixed. The metallic clang of barbells is punctuated with guttural sounds of exertion set against the ambience of the streets. Breath and muscle move in syncopated sonic choreography, and the men’s commitment to the ritual of maintaining the body is evident.
Official Selection Berlin International Film Festival 2026 - Forum Expanded - International Premiere

Details

Year: 2026
Type of project: Shorts
Running time: 22 min
Director

Genre

Experimental Black Sport

Production Status

Complete

Page updates

This page was last updated on 5th February 2026. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

Suggest amendments

With dreams of starting a perfect family, Saga and her British husband Jon move to the isolated house deep in the Finnish forest where Saga spent much of her childhood. But as soon as their baby is born, despite the reassurances of everyone around her, Saga knows something is terribly wrong. As their marriage starts to crack and Jon struggles to support his wife, only Saga suspects the disturbing truth about their newborn child. Official Selection Berlin International Film Festival 2026 - Competition - World premiere

Drama Thriller Woman Director

Tomorrow Pamplona

Director:

Year:

A young boxer on the run impulsively joins a middle-aged man on his annual journey to Pamplona to take part in the running of the bulls.

Drama Literary Adaption Thriller Woman Director

Dream Space

Director:

Year: 2025

A groom-to-be discovers an old photo of his fiancée with another man, sparking intense jealousy. Despite her reassurances and attempts to prove her love, his obsession grows as he uncovers details about her past.