Reviews
NollywoodWeek (NOW) Film Festival 2025: ‘Ekun Iyawo’ Review (Short Film)
In the growing resurgence of Yoruba-language films exploring folklore, mysticism, and societal anxieties, Ẹkùn Iyawo: A Tale of a Runaway Bride, by Moses Ipadeola, arrives as a surreal and bold reinterpretation of a traditional rite. […]
NollywoodWeek 2025: ‘The Night of June 7th’ Review
The Apo Six killings of June 7, 2005, will remain a searing wound in Nigeria’s collective psyche—a brutal reminder of police impunity and judicial rot in the country. I first learned about the incident from […]
Short Film Review: Olawale Adetula’s ‘Overcomer’ is a Quiet Study of Anxiety and Identity in a Post COVID World
At the center of director Adetula’s minimalist short film is Toni (Tinovimbanashe Sibanda), an international student grappling with mounting debts and a needy mother who clearly doesn’t care about her situation. Toni’s world is a […]
‘After 30′ Review: The Plot Gets Messier for The Sisterhood in Puzzling Sequel
In many parts of the world, single women face pressure to marry, often from a young age. Cultural expectations, like a mother critiquing her teenage daughter’s cooking with, “Is this how you’ll make semo in […]
NollywoodWeek 2025: ‘The Screen Test’ Review (Short Film)
A few minutes into The Screen Test, David, the actor, meets a director at his house. It’s quickly obvious that the film has laid the foundation for a story that could veer into offensive territory […]
Short Film Review: Wapah Ezeigwe’s ‘Shall We Meet Tonight’ is Far from Perfect, But a Queer Essential
A little over halfway into Shall We Meet Tonight, a short film written and directed by Wapah Ezeigwe, there is a quietly charged scene. The main character, Adaora (Goodness Emmanuel), is standing still, wearing just […]
‘The Stone Drew Ripples’ Review: Faith, Family, and Fraud Collide in an Uneven Drama
Dear reader, help us understand your Nollywood preferences by filling out our audience survey—your input is invaluable and deeply appreciated! Click this link. One of the last scenes in The Stone Drew Ripples features the main character […]
‘Labake Olododo’ Review: Stranger Facial Hair, Longer Incantations, Thinner Stories
Dear reader, help us understand your Nollywood preferences by filling out our audience survey—your input is invaluable and deeply appreciated! Click this link. Directed by Biodun Stephen and starring Iyabo Ojo as the titular lead, Labake Olododo […]
News
Yvonne Orji Joins Venice-Premiered Ghanaian Whimsical Comedy ‘The Fisherman’ as Executive Producer
Nigerian-American actress and comedian Yvonne Orji, known for her role on HBO’s Insecure, is now an executive producer on The Fisherman, a Ghanaian film getting global attention. Orji joined the team through her production company, […]
Full AMVCA 2025 Winners List: Femi Adebayo and Chioma Chukwuka Win Lead Acting Categories for Seven Doors
The 11th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) took place at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, bringing together the brightest talents in African film and television. Held on May 10, […]
Y2K-Inspired Short Film ‘Nollybabes’ Features Female-Led Cast in Official Poster Reveal
Old Nollywood has come and gone, but is it truly gone? One might ask. Old Nollywood is a living, breathing art form rooted deep in the entertainment and fashion industry. Tributes, homages, and creative nods […]
Nigerian Student Short Film ‘Angel in the Stone’ Shortlisted for 2025 Sony Future Filmmaker Awards
Angel in the Stone, a Nigerian student short film, has been officially shortlisted for the 2025 Sony Future Filmmaker Awards in the Student category. Directed by Doyinsola Ajayi, produced by Faith Olaewe, and written by […]
Nollywood Film Club Discusses What Makes a Nollywood Genre
The importance of genres in film operates on multiple levels, from aiding story development to setting audience expectations. But what shapes a genre beyond being a marketing tool? How do these genres influence people within […]
6 Key Takeaways from NollywoodWeek 2025 Festival Lineup
As the NollywoodWeek Festival draws closer and the official selections are confirmed, here are some key facts from this year’s lineup. The 2025 NollywoodWeek Festival, taking place from May 7–11 in Paris, features a lineup […]
Dipo Abdul Osiyemi and Oge Obasi Selected for 2025 Durban FilmMart with ‘Bupya (Renewed)’
Nigerian filmmakers, director Dipo Abdul Osiyemi and producer Oge Obasi, have been selected to participate in the Pitch and Finance Forum of the 2025 Durban FilmMart, taking place from 18 to 21 July in Durban, […]
Orire Nwani and Tomi Folowosele Selected for Red Sea Series Lab with Supernatural Thriller Project
Producer Orire Nwani and writer Tomi Folowosele have been named among the 16 creatives selected for the 2025 edition of the Red Sea Series Lab, an international television development program presented by the Red Sea […]
Essays
Nollywood Comedy Films and All the Ways They Can Be Better
There is a general notion that Nigerians can’t handle anything other than comedy films. Filmmakers often decry exhibitors’ and producers’ penchant for comedy films, which has resulted in a scenario wherein Nollywood films seemingly struggle […]
2022 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 2022 What Kept Me Up Critics Poll. You can find the full list of this year’s results here. Events […]
2022 Critics Poll: The Best Nollywood Films, According to 21 Nigerian Critics from Around the World
The Milkmaid, a 2020 release that finally became accessible through Amazon Prime Video, leads the pack in this list of the 10 best movies from 2022. Juju Stories and Eyimofe were not added to the […]
‘Ijakumo’ Review: Toyin Abraham’s Revenge Thriller Packs Everything But Leaves You with Nothing
On a small scale, like your neighborhood pastor whose altar was discovered to have a pot buried beneath it or Muslim clerics who were found to have been abusing wards placed in their care, and […]
‘Avatar (The Way of Water)’ Review: The Metaphor Heightens in Long-Awaited James Cameron Sequel
I remember, over a decade ago, getting a glimpse of the last ten minutes of a movie someone was watching on their PC. I saw some blue beings fighting against humans, and the blue beings […]
The S16 Film Festival Encourages Filmmakers to Speak Unique Language—A Critic’s Notes
My exams ended on December 9, 2022, and the S16 Film Festival started film screening on December 10, 2022. Ogun state is about 2 hours away from Lagos. But when you factor in the ever-present […]
