You’ve been waiting; and we are ready to deliver our best Nollywood films of the year, dating back from December 2023 to November 2024.
Leading the charge into the year was Funke Akindele’s record-breaking ensemble film, A Tribe Called Judah while Afamefuna ushered us East into the beautiful yet highly fraught world of Nwa Boys helmed by Kayode Kasum.
While Nollywood epics (not that many as many would assume) continued another year of lacklustre releases with new and continuing titles like Lisabi, House of Ga’a and Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre, we also had filmmakers like Daniel Oriahi navigating the rare waters of psychological thriller in The Weekend, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
In the same calendar year with a number of directorial debuts, filmmakers like Taiwo Egunjobi and Korede Azeez held their own with their latest releases, A Green Fever and With Difficulty Comes Ease, under Nemsia Studios.
Our critics have been through the motions and have selected the films they deem best, with good storytelling over lush production values playing the biggest factor.
To reiterate, your beloved festival film not being included means that it has yet to be released for the general audience within the consideration window.
Short films category includes short films we’ve reviewed within that same period regardless of their release dates.
Here are our best films of the year
Afamefuna (Directed by Kayode Kasum. Written by Anyanwu Sandra Adaora)
“ …Afamefuna offers a pleasurable sensory experience, maintaining the integrity of its culturally rich essence. You might exit the film with lingering questions about some characters’ motivations, yet the desire for answers doesn’t persist; the overall enjoyment leaves you satisfied. Kasum sets a higher bar with this creation, leaving audiences eager for his future endeavors.” Read more…
Afamefuna is available to watch on Netflix.
A Tribe Called Judah (Directed by Adeoluwa Owu and Funke Akindele. Written by Funke Akindele, Collins Okoh and Akinlabi Ishola)
“ Funke Akindele’s star-studded Christmas submission, A Tribe Called Judah, is a good film. The film hits all the right chords for a warm Nigerian family drama. There is the hard-working parent, there is the financial struggle in the family, and there are good children, and there are black sheep, and then there is the adversity that finally brings them all together. A Tribe Called Judah highlights that fear we all have as Nigerians. That every middle to low-income family is one surgery away from financial ruin.” Read more…
Watch now on Prime Video.
A Green Fever (Directed by Taiwo Egunjobi, Written by Isaac Ayodeji)
“A Green Fever’s strength is two-fold: In the points of revelations where we learn the truth about characters and in how genuinely those characters have presented themselves in respect to said truths.” Read more…
A Green Fever is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Aburo (Directed by Filmboy Morafa and written by Chidinma Ikechukwu Edeh and Stephen Oluboyo)
“Aburo is an inspiring celebration of the resilience of the human spirit captured through a fascinating kaleidoscope of its characters’ perils and triumphs. The film’s thoughtful exploration of familial relationships and street dynamics, combined with strong performances from the young”. Read more…
Aburo premiered at the cinemas.
With Difficulty Comes Ease (Written and Directed by Korede Azeez)
“Even at the film’s most fraught, the director ensures a grounded realism sustains the feelings and emotions on display and it’s a testament to the actors’ brilliance that they are able to fill a space with such conflicting, overwrought emotions —aided by few cuts to enhance the drama. These scenes are allowed to build up, combust and breathe again in the aftermath of Zainab and Rayyan’s perils that people, who were once strangers, are now bonded by their shared grief.” Read More…
With Difficulty Comes Ease is streaming on Prime Video.
The Weekend (Directed by Daniel Oriarhi. Written by Egbemawei Dimiyei Sammy, Vanessa Kanu, Freddie Anyaegbunam Jr.)
“As is the case with most horrors, you hear The Weekend more than you see it. The attention to the chilling score, assembled by Michael Ogunlade, amplifies the general feeling of dread that pervades the film, especially the second act. The lighting and cinematography are additional advantages.” Read More…
Here are our best TV shows of the year
Agu (Directed by Anis Halloway. Written by Stephanie Dadet, Jemine Edukugho, Uchechukwu William, and Uche Ikejimba)
“Agu blends legal drama, supernatural elements, and interpersonal relationships to present a captivating story that engages viewers. Watching both seasoned and fresh talents skillfully navigate the challenges of everyday Nigerian issues offers a refreshing perspective. The compelling story crafted by the writers and director elevates Agu to a notable position within the legal drama subgenre.” Read more…
Agu is streaming on Showmax.
Inside Life (Directed by Clarence Peters. Written by Olumide Kuti and Tonia Chukwurah)
“There are no neatly wrapped episode arcs, no spoon-feeding over obvious plot points via voice-overs or flashbacks, and no musical score to tell us how a particular scene or moment should make us feel. Instead, the film forces us to become witnesses to a series of events in much the same way we would witness something unfolding right in front of us. “ Read More…
Inside Life is streaming on Netflix.
Here are our best short films of the year
Boy Meets Girl (Written and Directed by Kaelo Iyizoba)
“Iyizoba’s well-travelled short film is a bare film that heralds you into the moment of realisation”.
Tsoro da Ruwa (Written and Directed by Abu-Bakr Adamu)
“Abu-Bakr recognizes that there is a story, and there is jeopardy in the ordinary, in simple things like a parent punishing a child, like going for a swim and experiencing the joy of the now.” Read more…
A Quiet Monday (Written and Directed by Dika Ofoma)
“A Quiet Monday bears witness to a normalised violation. It is a decent submission into the Nollywood canon by a young filmmaker whose films comment on how hug problems affect private, intimate relationships” Read more…
The Long Wait (Written and Directed by Idiagi Eromosele)
“The Long Wait is an honest film… at its core there is a truthfulness to the gruelling nature of unemployment that it captures, and in turn, a truthfulness to the gruelling nature of being human. That is what films should do.” Read more…
A Tale of Two First Dates (Written and Directed by Ayomide Napson)
“A Tale of Two First Dates draws strength from its controlled setting. Its compact, narrative plot is the type that leaves room for the actors to push boundaries as performers. There is good intent behind this production, and the effort shows, both in the writing and the execution.” Read more…
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