Lagos Wide and Close

This project has been developed by documentary filmmaker Bretje van der Haak and designer Silke Wawro in close collaboration with architect Rem Koolhaas, photographer Edgar Cleine, and the Harvard Project on the City. The concept and scenario for Lagos Wide & Close was developed by Van der Haak and Wawro during a masterclass of the Sandberg Institute and Dutch Cultural Media Fund in 2003 and produced by Submarine. The interactive film presents a selection of video and audio of Lagos recorded in 2001. It separates the distant - wide - and the intimate - close - views of the city enabling the viewer to switch between these perspectives interactively. Rather than following a dramatic storyline, it aims to bring the viewer close to the reality of what it means to live and work in Lagos, to move alongside bus driver Olawole Busayo and other Lagosians, and to delve into the city's layered fabric, slowly making sense of the rules, the possibilities, and lifestyles of Lagos.

Directed by Bregtje van der Haak, Lagos Wide and Close leans on a strong ensemble — Rem Koolhaas — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 0.