Ap0d4L0r3

A surreal Afrofuturist heist questioning the value we place on money—and ourselves.

Logline

In a futuristic Nairobi, a cosmic visitor's sudden generosity disrupts the city's rhythm, sending a young artist on a transformative quest to rediscover their true value amidst newfound chaos.

Plot

Our story begins in the heart of Nairobi’s CBD, in a near-future shaped by shifting realities. A mysterious broadcast interrupts the daily humdrum to announce the arrival of ApodaALIEN, a giant and benevolent figure, whimsically drifting through the city. ApodaAlien is spreading abundance in their wake by throwing money to the human occupants.

Makhondo, an independent artist striving for a creative and personal breakthrough, finds themselves caught in ApodaALIEN's mission and chases them around the city. This leads to an 'Alice-in-Wonderland-like' journey where they experience profound inner awakenings that culminates in an imprint of the ApodaLogo, a mystical emblem symbolizing our inherent value.

Alongside Makhondo's journey, we meet two city dwellers, ApodaHUMAN and Bambiii who are hustlers and schemers. They rob a mint factory and the quesiton lingers, could they be behind ApodaALIEN's surreal influence?

These narrative threads weave through Nairobi's futurist kinetic reality, vibrant dreamscapes and tell a story of transformation, self-empowerment, and cosmic adventure.

ApodaALIEN character from Ap0d4L0r3 - figure in vibrant purple body paint with avant-garde fur garments and orange rope details against bright turquoise background

World

Set in a speculative futuristic Nairobi, the film unfolds in a richly layered world where African futurism meets visual surrealism. We journey through the techno-corporate corridors of Westlands, the kinetic chaos of the CBD, and into fantastical spaces, like a dollhouse where a heist is planned and a toy mint factory where it unfolds. Each space bending reality reflects the city's fractured dreams. Blending real and imagined terrains, the film conjures a Nairobi shaped by capitalist ambition and radical imagination.

Act One visual references - Alien invasion and news reporting scenes with futuristic cityscapes

Characters

Nak3d_Lunch (35): Popular, eccentric media personality.

ApodaALIEN: Cosmic visitor and fairy-god/alien figure.

Makhondo (25): An independent musician.

ApodaHUMAN (28): Human form of ApodaALIEN.

Bambiii (28): ApodaHUMAN's heist partner.

"
'Ap0d4L0r3' is a 10-minute experimental visual EP set in a projected future of Nairobi. At its core, it's a deeply personal story. Built around three songs, the project explores the spiritual cost of chasing money. I wanted to find out, what do we lose when our value is tethered to capital? And what might abundance look like if re-rooted within ourselves?
It's a coming-of-age tale set in a world where purpose and survival are often at odds, especially in our rapidly evolving tech reality.
Visually and thematically, Ap0d4L0r3 draws from a rich lineage of Black speculative thought grounded in African indigeneity. Our alien guide, ApodaAlien, wears traditional Luo attire-a nod to the mythic imagination of Nnedi Okorafor. Like Neptune Frost, which exposes the extractive core of digital labor, Ap0d4L0r3 stages a surreal heist in a toy mint factory, turning capitalism itself into a childish illusion.
My aim is to open space for reflection for African audiences to question where we've placed our value. I hope the film offers both critique and a radical call: to imagine spiritual and economic liberation.
If even one person walks away believing their worth is unbuyable, that their dreams are not indulgent but necessary for survival, then this film has done its work.
Finally, Ap0d4L0r3 is a love letter to my younger self. We chose purpose and I'm proud of us.
— Nerima Makhondo, Director-Performer
"