THE STORIES WE OVERLOOK

Idris Olawale Aleshinloye is a Nigerian-German filmmaker, director and cinematographer based in Berlin. His work explores identity, culture, resilience, beauty and the complexities of the human experience.

Idris Aleshinloye was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where his passion for storytelling took root at the age of nine. During a summer visit to his grandmother, he was introduced to the rich oral storytelling traditions of the Yoruba community by the elders around him. It was there that he encountered the traditional storytelling practice known as Baba Kò Màgbó literally, “Father, listen” a form of communal narration rooted in the transmission of history, wisdom, culture, and lived experience from one generation to the next. This early encounter would leave an enduring imprint on his understanding of storytelling as both an artistic practice and a vehicle for preserving human experience.

Idris went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, followed by a Master of Science in Architecture. After leaving Nigeria, he chose to carry forward the legacy of his grandfather by adopting the family name Aleshinloye, a decision that connected his personal identity to his ancestral heritage. His professional journey subsequently expanded beyond architecture, taking him through team management, data analysis, and digital marketing, before ultimately leading him toward his true creative vocation: documentary filmmaking.

His filmmaking journey began on the streets of Berlin, where he approached strangers and invited them to share their personal experiences of life in Germany. What began as a simple act of listening gradually evolved into a distinctive documentary practice centred on people, identity, society, and the often-unheard stories that exist beneath the surface of everyday life.

Alongside his independent documentary work, Idris has also undertaken commercial and branded productions for international technology and creative brands, including Zhiyun Technology, Hohem Technology, DJI, and others. These experiences have enabled him to develop a visual language that combines cinematic craft with journalistic curiosity and human-centred storytelling.

To date, Idris has produced more than ten social documentaries, driven by a sustained commitment to social justice, digital activism, and equality. His work explores issues including race, gender, disability, the gender pay gap, migration, and workplace equality, consistently placing lived experience at the heart of the narrative.

Through IOA Documentary Films, he develops and creates cinematic documentaries that seek not simply to observe the world, but to understand the people and stories that shape it.

His body of work lends credence to a simple but powerful conviction: stories have the capacity not only to document society, but to challenge it, humanise it, and inspire meaningful change.