Dear reader, help us understand your Nollywood preferences by filling out our audience survey—your input is invaluable and deeply appreciated! Click this link. The epigraph at the pilot episode of Princess On A Hill poses […]
How can Black voices across continents reunify in a world shaped by colonialism and exploitation? This is the central question posed by BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions, an ambitious, experimental documentary by acclaimed visual artist Kahlil […]
We live in volatile times, many are quick to point out. But haven’t we always? There’s always a looming conflict on the horizon or one raging in the background, whether or not it receives media […]
In 2009, when flip phones were still a thing and the world hadn’t been taken over by Instagram and TikToks, Toyin Abraham released the first instalment in the Alakada franchise, which slithered its way into […]
From King of Thieves to Jagun Jagun, House of Gaa and Lisabi, Femi Adebayo is no stranger to the Yoruba language films that have enjoyed mainstream popularity in recent times. His onscreen presence is often […]
After the culmination of the Merry Men series last year (hopefully), Ayo Makun is back with another comedy thriller in The Waiter. Although AY says this film is different from his previous movies, between the […]
In a retrospective I wrote last year, I hailed Isoken as Jade Osiberu’s best film and praised how well it executed its premise: “[this is] a simple romantic story, Russian-dolled in another one about self-confidence, […]
From December 10th to 13th, at Alliance Française, Lagos, the S16 Film Festival marked its fourth edition to welcoming embrace. Four years since its genesis (ideated by the S16 Collective trio of Abba T. Makama, […]
The day after Everybody Loves Jenifa had its theatrical release, I went to my local cinema looking to purchase a ticket. The only thing the attendant had to offer, however, was disappointment: “Come back tomorrow. […]
Cinema is a specificity of vision. It’s an approach in which everything matters. It’s the polar opposite of generic or arbitrary and the result is as unique as a signature or a fingerprint. It isn’t […]
Let’s get this out of the way: Suspicion is a terrible title, especially for what turns out to be a good film. Apparently, the film started out as a short released in 2008, titled The […]
When the average Nigerian describes the personnel of the Nigerian military, they would most likely conjure up a fearful image of a camouflage-wearing brute, barking orders that are often reinforced with physical violence and the […]
Olumotan: The Trial of the Storyteller begins with a certain kind of awareness. First, there seems to be a breaking of the fourth wall by the storyteller played by Sola Sobowale, and then a multicultural […]
In For Maria: Ebun Pataki (2020), a pediatrician tells new mother Derin, “Babies cry. It’s what they do,” when she questions her infant’s incessant tears. The cries disrupt Derin’s sleep, heighten her panic, and fray […]
In The Fire and The Moth, the western town it is set in is presented with a sweeping calmness. There are gorgeous aerial shots and expert framings that keep the town rested but not docile. […]
The South African and Nigerian love story in Soft Love is put into motion once Zandi`’s groom runs away on the morning of their wedding, setting up a tale of romance, friendship and family that […]
In the growing resurgence of Yoruba-language films exploring folklore, mysticism, and societal anxieties, Ẹkùn Iyawo: A Tale of a Runaway Bride, by Moses Ipadeola, arrives as a surreal and bold reinterpretation of a traditional rite. […]
The Apo Six killings of June 7, 2005, will remain a searing wound in Nigeria’s collective psyche—a brutal reminder of police impunity and judicial rot in the country. I first learned about the incident from […]
At the center of director Adetula’s minimalist short film is Toni (Tinovimbanashe Sibanda), an international student grappling with mounting debts and a needy mother who clearly doesn’t care about her situation. Toni’s world is a […]
In many parts of the world, single women face pressure to marry, often from a young age. Cultural expectations, like a mother critiquing her teenage daughter’s cooking with, “Is this how you’ll make semo in […]
A few minutes into The Screen Test, David, the actor, meets a director at his house. It’s quickly obvious that the film has laid the foundation for a story that could veer into offensive territory […]
A little over halfway into Shall We Meet Tonight, a short film written and directed by Wapah Ezeigwe, there is a quietly charged scene. The main character, Adaora (Goodness Emmanuel), is standing still, wearing just […]
