Reviews
‘The Herd’ Review: Daniel Etim Effiong’s Topical Despite Uneven Debut for a Desperate Populace in Desperate Times
Daniel Etim Effiong’s debut feature sits at the centre of an important political quagmire: a country refusing to tackle a complex insecurity issue that threatens to destroy an already delicate national fabric. It takes on […]
AFRIFF 2025: ‘To Adaego With Love’ Review
AFRIFF: There are many stories told of victories and the ways they are achieved. The tales of the final battles and surrender, chronicles of the victors and vanquished, narratives strung together of the pacts forged […]
AFRIFF 2025: ‘The Boy Who Gave’ Review
AFRIFF: A first feature often defines the trajectory of a director’s career. It shapes how audiences will come to perceive their work and what threads they’ll follow through subsequent projects. For The Boy Who Gave, […]
AFRIFF 2025: ‘The Good Gift’ Review
AFRIFF: Today’s sermon, or rather review, will be taken from the book of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 11, which says, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how […]
AFRIFF 2025: ‘Lace Relations’ Review (Documentary)
AFRIFF: There are familiar patterns in history, events that repeat themselves with little to no variations, circumstances that mothers and daughters will experience and moments that nations will often not learn from. With Lace Relations, […]
AFRIFF 2025: ‘Son of the Soil’ Review
AFRIFF: There is no scarcity of bodies in Son of the Soil. Bleeding and strewn across the streets; glistening with sweat, tears and blood; running and ramming into each other; it’s a visceral violence that […]
‘The Greatest Actor of All Time’ Stage Review: Temi Fosudo’s Three-Person Play on The Price of Artistic Purity
When artists cannot change the world, they bicker. Functioning otherwise as actor, writer and co-producer on the project, Temilolu Fosudo brings an energy easy to root for in his directing of this three-man hassle that […]
AFRIFF 2025: ‘Pasa Faho’ Review
AFRIFF: From the beginning of Pasa Faho, Igbo is front and centre in suburban Melbourne in Australia. The soundtrack plays Peter King’s “Jo Jolo” as the white people go about their business on the street. […]
News
Circuits Expands Beyond Streaming, Co-Produces ‘King of Thieves 2’ and ‘Agbara Nla: The Return’
Two anticipated Nollywood projects, King of Thieves 2 and a remake of the classic, Agbara Nla, have recently been announced with the streaming platform, Circuits named as a co-producer on both projects. Being on board […]
S16 Film Festival 2025: Official Shorts & Feature Film Selection Lineup
Following 2024’s Technologic theme, the S16 Film Festival is now calling upon all of the lights for its 2025 edition. Themed ‘Let There Be Light’, the festival is now in its fifth edition and brings not […]
Mami Wata Legend-Inspired ‘Crocodile Dance’ Joins Growing Push Toward Crowdfunded African Animation
African animators and studios in recent years have increasingly turned to audiences and crowdfunding to move their animated projects forward. The latest example is Crocodile Dance, an African futurist animated thriller inspired by the Mami […]
Port Harcourt’s VISIONS Film Society Opens With Films on Home, Migration and Belonging
Port Harcourt may not be a hub for regular film activity, but it holds urgent, overlooked stories, and filmmaker Olohije Oyakhire believes those narratives deserve intentional cinematic engagement. Her vision is straightforward: build a steady, […]
Onyinye Odokoro to Star in Melon House’s Debut Feature ‘Adanne’, A Story Across Three Igbo Generations
Melon House Production has announced its first feature film, Adanne, a family drama set to begin production in November 2025. Written and produced by Gold Gerry (Boo’d Up) and directed by Orobosa Ikponmwen, the film […]
AFRIFF 2025 Interviews Roundup: Zoey Martinson, Allison Precious Emmanuel, Williams Uchemba and More
It’s still very much AFRIFF season over here until the last AFRIFF post drops. For this reason, we’re highlighting some of the interviews that filmmakers, actors had with What Kept Me Up, right from the […]
AFRIFF 2025: Our Festival Highlights and Recap and Full List of Award Winners
In 2023, I was wide-eyed, heart filled with love for film, and ready to experience my first AFRIFF as I made my way to the opening night venue. To my surprise, the event was by […]
Rollpay Africa and Filmmakers Mart Celebrate Nigerian Storytelling at “Nigeria Through My Lens” Film Screening
Rollpay Africa and Filmmakers Mart hosted an inspiring film screening titled “Nigeria Through My Lens” at Alliance Française, Ikoyi, Lagos. The event brought together leaders in the entertainment and business industries to celebrate Nigeria’s vibrant […]
Essays
What Film Festivals Have Done For Ema Edosio Deelen and Can Do For You
At the awards ceremony for the 2024 edition, Locarno Festival announced that its Open Doors program would dedicate the next four years to Sub-Saharan Africa. At the 2024 S16 Film Festival in Lagos, Open Doors […]
‘Ijogbon’ Review: Kunle Afolayan Unearths an Endearing Tale of Teenage Adventure and Bonds
Exploring the essence of teenage life through film is an enduring tradition as old as the medium itself. Every season, a new film emerges to delve into the crossroads of being fifteen, the complexities of […]
‘Merry Men 3 Nemesis’ Review: Comic Crime Thriller Franchise Becomes More Pointless
Merry Men becomes more outrageous with each installment, increasing the stakes to ridiculous heights and presenting far-fetched scenarios, like a low-budget Fast and Furious. The Guardian branded their Merry Men 2 review “low-budget Fast & […]
‘Charlie and the Boys’ Review: Come for the Thrills, Stay for the Humour, Be Confused by the Drama
Heist movies come in all shapes and sizes. For some reason, there’s something about seeing a team of highly skilled people steal large sums of money, priceless artifacts, or some other MacGuffin that gets us […]
‘Something Like Gold’ Review: Sandra Okunzuwa, Kunle Remi and Mercy Johnson Deliver Spirited Performances in a Confused Blend of Family Drama and Romcom
Tamara Jola-Scott (Sandra Okunzuwa), daughter of rich Lagos socialite Jolayemi Scott (Patrick Doyle), is a spoiled rich kid who treats everyone (friends included) as if beneath her. The news of her father’s involvement in an […]
“Why are Nollywood Movies So Bad?”
Nollywood is a cultural phenomenon and no doubt one of the most enduring ones of the 21st century. Like other industries, through the decades, it has had to adapt to various societal shifts and technological […]
