Nigeria isn’t a backdrop, it’s part of how I see the world – Geoff Browne,
By Benjamin Njoku
Geoff Browne, an accomplished director, cinematographer, and writer based in California, USA, has spent over two decades telling global stories from a unique perspective.
With a passion for immersing himself in diverse cultures, he’s brought numerous stories to life on screen. His short film, “God’s Power”, shot in Lagos, recently won an award atz AFRIFF. In this interview, Browne shares the story of his journey into filmmaking and the passion he has for telling global stories through film.
My Journey into filmmaking
I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I’d borrow my dad’s camera, making short films with my brothers. I grew up on adventure films, stories that made the world feel big and worth exploring. That curiosity came from my family and film.
By high school, filmmaking was my language. I’d turn written assignments into short films or documentaries. At 21, I moved to Vancouver, started from the bottom, and worked my way up. I wanted to be on set, learning how films were made. Eventually, a producer gave me a chance as a production assistant. I didn’t care about the pay, I just wanted to be on set, learning how films were actually made. That combination of curiosity, persistence, and love for real experience has shaped everything I’ve done since.
Telling African stories through film
In 2008, I developed a coming-of-age feature script set in Nigeria. I knew I couldn’t write it honestly from a distance, so I posted a note on Facebook, offering my skills in exchange for a chance to travel to Nigeria. A foundation connected me to an orphanage, and I made a film. That trip changed everything.
The warmth of the people, the rhythm of daily life, the contradictions – it all felt real. I returned in 2012 and 2024 to make “Call Me Shamsz”, which screened at AFRIFF and won awards. Nigeria became part of how I see the world and tell stories.
Impressions of the African film sector
Filmmakers are filmmakers everywhere – the obsession, sacrifice, and refusal to quit are universal. African filmmakers have a deep commitment to truth and resourcefulness, telling meaningful stories against obstacles. There’s a strong respect for character, community, and audience – a desire to make honest movies.
Godpower’s Story
Godpower came from being present and welcomed. I met Godpower, a gifted surfer and father, at Tarkwa Bay in Lagos. He welcomed me into his life, and that trust shaped the film. The film follows a single journey, but within that small frame is a larger portrait of modern Nigeria- not as a headline or stereotype, but as it’s actually lived.
Many viewers have told me the film was a revelation, not because Nigeria is unfamiliar, but because they rarely get to see it portrayed this way — with suspense, humor, dignity, and emotional weight. Godpower presents a piece of Nigeria as it really is, through the eyes of people who live there.
For me, that’s always been the goal as a filmmaker: to share places people rarely see, through stories that feel immediate and human.
If anyone ever finds themselves in Lagos, I genuinely hope they take a boat to Tarkwa Bay, rent space at Godpower’s cabana, take a surf lesson, and meet him — not because of the film, but because of the people. Making Godpower was one of the most meaningful filmmaking experiences of my life. It reaffirmed why I do this work: to earn trust, to translate real experience into narrative cinema, and to entertain without losing authenticity.
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