FROM A FEW VIEWS TO 100,000: THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING BURIED IN AMERICA

By Osezua Stephen-Imobhio
Founder, African Indigenous Language Film Festival (AILFF) | Head, AILFF Blog Editorial Team

When I first watched Ugezu J. Ugezu’s Buried in America, I knew immediately that this was a film worth drawing attention to.

The movie was released on Friday, 4 September 2026. The following morning, Saturday, 5 September, I came across its promotional material and decided to watch it.

I thought I would simply take a look.

I was wrong.

I started watching—and ended up not dropping my phone until I had watched the film to the end.

What struck me most was the way Buried in America brought African culture, traditions and values into the heart of its storytelling, particularly through the representation of Igbo traditions.

After watching the film, I checked the number of views. I was honestly not impressed. For a film of such quality and cultural significance, the number was only in the tens.

I therefore made a personal decision.

AILFF Blog was going to help tell people about this film.

And we did.

Today, barely two weeks later, Buried in America has crossed 100,000 views.

To everyone who watched, shared, recommended and encouraged others to watch the film, THANK YOU!

You made this possible.

On behalf of the producer of Buried in America, and on behalf of my humble self as the Founder of the African Indigenous Language Film Festival (AILFF) and Head of the AILFF Blog Editorial Team, I sincerely appreciate every one of you who contributed to this milestone.

But we are not stopping at 100,000.

When I decided to support Buried in America, I said I wanted to see the film reach millions of viewers.

I still believe it can.

Not simply because of the numbers, but because I genuinely appreciate what Ugezu J. Ugezu has achieved with this film.

At a time when African filmmakers are increasingly telling stories for global audiences, it is important that our stories do not lose the culture, traditions, values and identity that make them African.

Buried in America demonstrates that indigenous culture can be woven into contemporary filmmaking in a way that engages audiences while preserving important elements of our heritage.

This is what AILFF stands for.

The African Indigenous Language Film Festival is not only about films made in African indigenous languages.

It is also about the cultures, traditions, histories, identities and values that live within those languages.

Language carries culture.

Culture carries memory.

And film gives us the opportunity to preserve, celebrate and share both with present and future generations.

That is why films that authentically project African indigenous languages, cultures, traditions and values deserve our collective attention and support.

So, once again, thank you to everyone who watched and shared Buried in America.

But please, keep watching and keep sharing.

Let us continue to support African films that tell our stories, preserve our identities and project our indigenous languages, cultures, traditions and values to Africa and the world.

100,000 views is a milestone.

Millions of views is the mission.

Let us get Buried in America there.

WATCH. SHARE. SUPPORT AFRICAN STORIES.

Watch and share Buried in America here: