Reviews
‘Love and New Notes’ Review: Kayode Kasum’s Part Horror, Part Romance, Part Drama, Part Heist, Part Comedy Film
Religions and cultures agree: desperation has a way of becoming spiritual. The woman who cannot bear a child, the man whose mind is poisoned by money; these are not just personal tragedies in Nigerian storytelling, […]
Berlinale 2026: Jeremy Comte’s ‘Paradise’ Review
Berlinale: It is in the final moments of Jeremy Comte’s first feature that he renders the moments giving the film its title, in lyrical realism. “…it burns,” our one-hand protagonist — far from his Quebec […]
Berlinale 2026: The Critics’ and Pietra Brettkelly’s ‘Crocodile’ Review (Documentary)
Berlinale: There was a time The Critics, more known as The Critics Company, wanted to make comedy skits but with a twist of VFX. They were hoping to create an alternative to the common slapstick […]
Berlinale 2026: Alain Gomis’ ‘Dao’ Review
Berlinale: Not to get too personal, I have family members across four continents. Over the past five years, we have had at least two weddings and a funeral to attend. Those are the only times […]
Berlinale 2026: Sandulela Asanda’s ‘Black Burns Fast’ Review
Berlinale: African films that are filled with joy at international film festivals are rare. That is why Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu’s Afrobubblegum movement is important as more attention turns towards African films. We need to […]
‘Alive Till Dawn’ Review: Nigeria’s Claimed First Zombie Apocalypse is Derivative, Politically Oblivious, and an Illusion of Innovation
The Nollywood horror genre has declined over the years. This can be attributed to a combination of moral and religious panic, alongside the industry’s formulaic mode of operation. Over time, Nollywood has found other formulas […]
Sundance 2026: Praise Odigie’s ‘Birdie’ Review (Short Film)
Sundance: In Birdie, Praise Odigie Paige evokes an ideal countryside with scenic shots of a home nestled in fields of green and a stream cutting through. There are no neighbours and it is isolated from […]
Sundance 2026: Olive Nwosu’s ‘Lady’ Review
Sundance: Some film endings comfort. Others provoke and leave us uneasy. Some quietly ask us to act. In these moments, the final frame becomes the film’s last word, the image that follows us out of […]
News
2025 Critics Poll: List of Participating Critics and How They Voted
We have broken down all of the individual votes that were counted as part of the 2025 What Kept Me Up Critics Poll. You can find the full list of this year’s results here. (Click […]
2025 Critics Poll: The Best Nigerian Films and Performances, According to 20 Nigerian Critics from Around the World
For the fourth edition of our Critics Poll, participating critics could select their top 5 films from a list of 88 released films across cinemas and streaming services (Prime Video, Showmax and Netflix most notably). […]
Showmax to Close as Canal+ Restructures MultiChoice’s Streaming Business
Canal+ has announced plans to shut down its streaming platform Showmax, home to Flawsome, WURA, Crime and Justice Lagos, and messy reality TV shows, marking a major first decision after last year’s acquisition. Multichoice stated […]
‘Phoenix Fury’ Director Ifeoma Chukwuogo Adds Two Short Films to Her Directing Credits
Nigerian filmmaker Ifeoma Chukwuogo has returned to the director’s chair with two new projects, Dear Dija and By Eight. With Dear Dija, written by Nduka Ebube Dike from a story by Eleanya Eke and Nduka […]
Ghana’s ‘The Fisherman’ Wins Best International Feature at Artios Casting Awards 2026
The global run of The Fisherman continues. The film picked up the award for Best International Feature at the 41st Artios Awards, held on 26 February 2026 and presented by the Casting Society of America. […]
Prices of Movie Streaming Services in Nigeria
Streaming has become significantly more popular in the 2020s, serving as a strong companion to cinema. Cinephiles can now stay at home and watch films and their favourite shows on demand. There are currently several […]
This Women’s Month, Audience Engagement in Nollywood Gets a Trivia Game Evening
The need for long-term audience development in Nigeria has become a shared industry realization. Institutions know it: FilmOne tapped into the anime community last year for the Demon Slayer reach, and they continue to activate […]
AFRIFF to Represent Lagos at Cannes Market Showcase
Lagos is heading to Cannes not physically, but through in-development projects for the 2026 edition of “Goes to Cannes”, taking place from May 15–18, 2026, as one of the festival’s city partners for the new […]
Essays
Female Characters in Nollywood: Audience Insights from a Women’s Month Survey
As part of our International Women’s Month programming, What Kept Me Up partnered with The Nolly Guide for the March edition of Nolly Trivia, a monthly Nollywood-themed trivia night held every first Saturday in Lagos. […]
‘Eyimofe’: What Happens When The Antagonist is a Country?
The depictions of villains on screen can be tricky. When done right, they are memorable. And when written shoddily, even the most skilled actor can’t save them. They end up cartoonish and childish and can’t […]
‘Ajosepo’ Review: A Dysfunctional Family Rom-Com Propped By Nostalgia
Kayode Kasum’s Ajosepo is a romantic comedy set around family drama. It tests the boundaries of old relationships and sets the foundations for new ones. At its heart is reunion and reconciliation and the knowledge […]
‘The Two Aishas’ Review: Rahama Sadau and Maryam Booth are Rivalling Best Friends in Flat 2023 Drama
The Two Aishas stars leading Kannywood actresses Rahama Sadau and Maryam Booth as best friends at loggerheads. The 2023 film is a family and political drama about the strains ambition can place on cordial relationships. […]
Six Popular Nigerian Titles and The Northern Filmmakers Behind Them
Last year, Nigerian films graced several international film festivals. We were well-represented by Babatunde Apalowo’s All The Colours Of The World Are Between Black and White and CJ ‘Fiery’ Obasi’s Mami Wata, amongst other short […]
March Madness: Nollywood Film Club Discusses ‘Rise of Spectre’, ‘A Green Fever’, ‘The Kujus Again’ and ‘Afamefuna’
Nollywood Film Club is a weekly (on Sundays) Twitter Space discussion that places Nollywood in focus. A chosen subject (film or topic) is analysed and critiqued by participating speakers and listeners. In March, they discuss […]
