As Nigerian projects continue to expand their international footprint, new films line up for cinemas, established companies enter fresh corners of the business, and filmmakers experiment with emerging technologies, this week’s edition of Nollywood Distilled captures the latest key developments in Nigeria’s screen industry that should be on your radar.
Nigerian Films Continue Strong Festival Run Across TIFF, New York and Melbourne
Nigerian cinema’s international festival momentum continued this week with fresh selections across three major festivals. Daniel Oriahi‘s The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives unveiled its official trailer shortly after its selection for the Centrepiece programme at the Toronto International Film Festival, beginning its campaign ahead of its December 4 Nigerian theatrical release. Kaelo Iyizoba‘s The Spectacular Death of Prisca also heads to Toronto in the Short Cuts programme for its world premiere, while Arie and Chuko Esiri’s Clarissa adds another major festival stop with a selection for the New York Film Festival following its earlier announcement for TIFF’s Special Presentations section. Melbourne International Film Festival also strengthens Nigeria’s presence, with Clarissa and Dika Ofoma’s Obi is a Boy making their Australian premieres and The Critics’ Crocodile receiving its Victorian premiere.
Babatunde Apalowo Secures Hubert Bals Fund Development Support
Babatunde Apalowo’s next feature project, In the Wake of Yesterday, has been selected for the Hubert Bals Fund Development Support scheme, receiving a €10,000 grant from the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The Nigeria–United Kingdom co-production follows a records keeper exiled into the desert after refusing to falsify the identity of her unborn child, where she discovers that the archive responsible for her punishment forms part of a much larger system. Apalowo joins 20 filmmakers selected worldwide this year, while becoming the latest Nigerian filmmaker to benefit from one of international cinema’s most respected development funds. The selection also means In the Wake of Yesterday now joins Damilola Orimogunje‘s Dear Ajayi among Nigerian projects supported by the Hubert Bals Fund during development, reinforcing a growing pattern of Nigerian filmmakers accessing international development finance well before production begins.
September’s Theatrical Calendar Continues to Take Shape
While attention is on August’s crowded release corridor, September’s cinema calendar continues to fill out. Tola Odunsi‘s fraud thriller 19 released its first teaser ahead of its September 11 opening through Nile Entertainment, joining recently announced releases including the historical drama Properties of the Gods on September 4 and FilmOne-distributed comedy Star Lomo, produced by content creator Kamo State and directed by Kayode Kasum. Last week’s Nollywood Distilled highlighted six (now 7, after Linda Ikeji-produced Night of June 7th) Nigerian films scheduled to arrive within three weeks in August across FilmOne, Genesis Pictures, Nile Entertainment and Cinemax.
Tunde Kelani Experiments with AI-Assisted Filmmaking on ‘Opalaba‘
Veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani has unveiled a teaser clip for Opalaba, describing it as the culmination of a practical experiment in combining traditional filmmaking with artificial intelligence without relinquishing creative authorship. According to Kelani, the project begins with conventional filmmaking processes, including story development, practical production design, principal photography and performances, before incorporating AI for visualisation, animation and post-production support. The filmmaker stressed that AI serves as another production department rather than a replacement for imagination, craftsmanship or culture, with production on the Yoruba-language satirical micro-web series scheduled to begin before the end of August. The experiment arrives as artificial intelligence continues to reshape conversations across the global screen industries.
Nemsia Looks to Biblical Adaptations with African Bible Stories
Nemsia Studios and Pastor Jimmy Odukoya have announced African Bible Stories, a new screen initiative that reimagines biblical narratives through contemporary African settings, beginning with a modern interpretation of The Prodigal Son. Alongside the project, the partners have opened nationwide auditions and a competition offering cash prizes. The announcement adds another dimension to a wave of Nigerian screen adaptations, following recent projects based on novels, memoirs and historical figures, while turning to one of the most widely recognised bodies of source material among African audiences. Odukoya’s church, Fountain of Life, has become known for staging contemporary reinterpretations of biblical stories during its Christmas and Easter productions.
Darey Art Alade Makes Feature Directorial Debut Alongside Kayode Kasum
Livespot Studios has announced Darey Art Alade and Kayode Kasum as the directors of University of Side Hustle, revealing the creative team behind its previously announced first original scripted feature. While the film itself was unveiled earlier this year as the centrepiece premiere of Entertainment Week Africa 2026, the latest announcement confirms that musician, creative executive and Livespot360 co-founder Darey will make his feature directorial debut, partnering with one of Nollywood’s most prolific commercial filmmakers in Kasum. Written by Dami Elebe and executive produced by Deola Art Alade, the Lagos-set coming-of-age drama follows young Nigerians balancing careers, ambition and the side hustles that define their lives.
Fresh Images Reveal More of ‘Finding Messiah’ and ‘Bodija‘
Two Nigerian filmmakers offered audiences a closer look at long-anticipated projects this week through new official images. Oscar Heman-Ackah released fresh stills from Finding Messiah, his Pan-African period epic set in a fictional African country, marking the first substantial update since the film’s five-minute teaser attracted widespread attention in 2024. The latest images introduce new faces, including Adesua Etomi-Wellington, while also confirming that additional photography has taken place. Meanwhile, Taiwo Egunjobi unveiled the first official look at Bodija, his crime drama limited series and first major move into long-form storytelling after feature films including In Ibadan, A Green Fever and The Fire and the Moth. Produced by Sable Media Productions in collaboration with Tayo Faniran Films and Entertainment, the series follows a university student whose failed cryptocurrency scam plunges him into a desperate race to repay 10 million naira within five weeks, starring Tayo Faniran, Feranmi Adeniran, Orenimi Olawuyi, Toyin Oshinaike and Martha Ehinome. Both projects remain without a release date.
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