About me

Shedrack Salami is a Nigerian documentary film director, cinematographer, and visual artist. His journey into filmmaking began in 2021, telling stories that spotlight human resilience, African identity, and underreported narratives. Prior to that, he used body art as a medium to confront social issues such as gender-based violence, drug abuse, and political injustice in Nigeria.

In 2024, he was selected as a fellow of the StoryMi Academy Documentary Film Fellowship, supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria. Through the fellowship, he received mentorship and funding for his short documentary Beyond Olympic Glory, which has screened across multiple continents and countries, gaining international recognition for its powerful narrative and cinematic style. The film has screened at the iRep International Documentary Festival, won Best Short Documentary at the Hollywood African Cinema Connection Festival in South Africa, Jury Award for Special Sector Stories at Power24 International Film Festival in Durban, Bokola Future of Film Awards in Zimbabwe and Achievement Prize in South Korea. The film was also selected as a Top Five Film at TheFilmJoint Premieres and is currently nominated for Best Documentary at the Jazair Awards in Algeria.

In 2025, Shedrack was selected as one of seven participants in the inaugural cohort of the Sunny Academy, a documentary residency and mentorship program organized by Sunny Side of the Doc in La Rochelle, France. There, he received professional guidance from leading international mentors to further develop Beyond Olympic Glory for global distribution.

His earlier short, Semblance Realism (2023), was a SmallRig Awards finalist, received Honorable Mention at the Panorama International Film Festival and was screened at over ten international festivals. His other notable credits include: Telemedicine: Bridging Healthcare Gaps in Nigeria - 2024 (Director/Producer), film about the LGBTQ+ Community in Nigeria - Uncommon Beauty Season 1 & 2 (Camera Operator), and film on African Traditional Religion - Calling the Spirits (Camera Operator).

Through his production company Xtrovarts Visual Studios, he has led and contributed to multinational documentary and commercial projects for global brands and organisations like Coca-Cola, McKinsey & Company, Hispasat, Axess Networks, Comitas Health, Samsung Mobile, Tecno Mobile, Nigerian Breweries and Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Shedrack also finds value in using art and storytelling as tools for community development. Through his work with Nbari Nbajo Arts and Cultural Institute in Bariga, he is mentoring youth in filmmaking and storytelling to empower the next generation of African creatives.

Skills

Cinematography, Corporate Video, Editing, Film, Filming, Media Buying, Photo Editing, Photography, Video Production, Video-Journalism

Sector Experience

Advertising, Audio / Visual, Cinema, Film (Feature), Film (Short / Documentary), Lighting, Media, Photography

Clients

Axess Networks, Cocoa-cola, Comitas e-health, McKinsey & Company, Samsung, Tecno Mobile