Reviews
Locarno Open Doors 2026 Review: ‘Concrete Moves’, ‘Time to Change’, ‘sKINs’, ‘Submergido’ and ‘Goat’
The following five short films screened as part of the 2026 Locarno Open Doors, taking place from August 5-10, 2026. The five directors were also invited to take part in the Open Doors Directors programme. […]
Short Film Review: Adebayo Oduwole’s ‘When Tari Met Voke’ Makes a Familiar Meet-Cute Feel Alive
Few things are better than a romantic comedy that keeps both of its promises. Very few things. (A plate of smoky party jollof, perhaps.) I suspect this, among other reasons, is behind the runaway success […]
‘Remi and Nneoma’ Review: A Nollywood Biblical Retelling Too Devoted to Become Its Own Story
The Bible, like any other text, exists to be adapted and retold. Its stories are constantly updated for language and context. The King James Version for the purists who want little lost, The New International […]
‘On Different Grounds’ Review: Nollywood Veterans Elevate Mildred Okwo’s Uneven Romantic Comedy
A Nigerian wedding party, as much as it is a celebration, is often a power play. A place where influence is tested, alliances are forged and a pecking order is established. There is a clashing […]
‘Blood Sisters’ Season 2 Review: EbonyLife’s Netflix Thriller Expands Its World of Excess, for Better and Worse
In a rare Nigerian series continuation on Netflix, Blood Sisters returns four years after its first season in 2022, picking up directly from the Ademola family shooting. While Uncle B (Ramsey Nouah) dies from the […]
‘MKO’ Review: Ose Oyamendan Revisits the Wound of June 12 and Nigeria’s Greatest Political What-If (Sheffield DocFest 2026)
Hope, they say, is a very, very stubborn thing. It survives military coups. It survives broken promises. It survives politicians campaigning the language of change and turning around to enforce the language of power just […]
‘Call Of My Life’ Review: Uzoamaka Power Dials into the Nigerian Romcom Canon with Heart and Familiarity
The definition of a romcom is a well-documented and defined concept, parameters are often rigid and the story must follow a formula: hot boy plus beautiful girl plus almost fantastical meeting equals forever after. Dammy […]
Nollywoodweek 2026: Ema Edosio’s ‘When Nigeria Happens’ Review
Nollywoodweek: In the final scene of When Nigeria Happens, we see how submission has been tortured into Fagbo as he mindlessly marches with a group of men, shorn of his former locs and despair sat […]
News
Amartei Armar’s Ghanaian ‘Ego Reach We All’, Idrissu Tontie Jr. Win at Locarno 2026
Ghanaian filmmaker Amartei Armar and actor Idrissu Tontie Jr. have won two awards at the 79th Locarno Film Festival for Ego Reach We All (Our Time Will Come). Armar’s debut feature won the Pardo for […]
Tunde Kelani’s ‘Opalaba’ Adds to Nollywood’s Expanding AI Footprint
Veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani recently unveiled Opalaba, a Yoruba-language satirical micro-web series that uses AI-assisted visualisation, animation and post-production tools. The filmmaker announced that principal production is expected to begin before the end of August […]
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
From international expansion and festival development to streaming releases, theatrical rollouts and the start of another festival submission season, this week’s Nollywood Distilled traces six developments from the previous week that should be on your […]
From Tug of War to Relay Race: How Funke Akindele Announces Her December Blockbusters
For the third year in a row, Funke Akindele has begun the road to December with a competition against herself. In 2024, characters from A Tribe Called Judah and the Jenifa franchise faced off in […]
Nigeria’s ‘I Live in V.I.’ and Ghana’s ‘Too Much Music’ Win at Locarno Open Doors 2026
Nigerian project I Live in V.I. and Ghana’s Too Much Music have picked up prizes at the 2026 Locarno Open Doors, with the latter receiving CHF10,000 in development funding. The awards come in the second […]
What Has Netflix Been Doing in Nigeria in 2026?
Netflix may have slowed down in Nigeria, but it has not disappeared as many still believe due to the late 2024 widespread rumours. Much has already been said about the streamer’s reduced activity in the […]
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
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 […]
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Records Biggest Opening Weekend in West African Box Office History
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has recorded the biggest opening weekend in West African box office history, setting a series of new theatrical benchmarks following its release across the region. The film delivered Sony Pictures’ biggest […]
Essays
Nine Trends Defining Nollywood in Early 2026
Let’s take a look back on the Nigerian film industry, through dozens of stories that we have covered, to identify broader emerging patterns so far in 2026. There have been standout box office performers, major […]
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
Welcome to Nollywood Distilled, WKMUp’s weekly roundup of the developments taking shape within the Nigerian film industry. Piloted on our Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn pages, the series now expands to our website, where we’ll bring […]
Damilola Orimogunje’s ‘Dear Ajayi’ Sets World Premiere at Venice 2026
Nigerian filmmaker Damilola Orimogunje’s second feature, Dear Ajayi, will have its world premiere in competition at the 23rd Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days), the independent parallel section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The […]
Canal+ and Anakle’s Flying Whale Build 10-Film Television Partnership
Canal+ has partnered with Nigerian production company Flying Whale, a production label within Anakle Films, on a slate of ten made-for-television films as the French company expands its African content strategy following its acquisition of […]
Exclusive: Big Cabal Media Sets July 25 Return for ‘Zikoko Life’ Second Edition, Reveals First-Look
Almost exactly a year after debuting Zikoko Life, Big Cabal Media has unveiled the anthology’s second edition (as stylized), which will begin rolling out on YouTube from July 25. Alongside the announcement, What Kept Me Up can exclusively reveal first-look stills from the three new films.
CJ Obasi is Busy AF: Every Announced Project From The Nigerian Filmmaker
“On your marks.” Three words C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi needed to accompany his announcement of The Boy Who Runs, his latest project based on the life of Ugandan Olympian Julius Achon. While the caption referenced the […]
