Reviews
‘Black Market’ Review: Fatimah Binta Gimsay’s Feature Debut is a Very Nigerian Film for a Very Nigerian Situation
September 26, 2026 gave Nigerian cinema two occasions to celebrate. The first was Nigerian Cinema Day, with audiences filling cinemas nationwide for a limited slate of films after FilmOne, the leading distributor, reportedly pulled out. […]
‘Alahun: The Weaver’ Review: Dare Olaitan’s Long-Awaited Epic Adventure Return Takes Too Long to Get Going
Dare Olaitan returns to the director’s chair with Alahun: The Weaver, a Yoruba epic adventure filled with spirits, mythical creatures, and an unlikely hero at its centre. The film asks many questions, such as what the measure of a true hero is, and how love can transcend societal limitations.
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 […]
News
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
This week on Nollywood Distilled, FilmOne unveiled part of its 2027 cinema slate, Clarissa picked up four Gotham nominations, and MultiChoice announced changes to its pay-TV packages. Elsewhere, Agbara Nla: The Return crossed a major […]
Bamike Olawunmi Leads Romcom ‘The Perfect Spec’ as Gospel Singer Limoblaze Makes Lead Role Debut (Watch Trailer)
Bamike Olawunmi (Bam Bam), Vine Olugu and gospel singer Samuel “Limoblaze” Onwubiko will lead the love triangle in The Perfect Spec, a new faith-based romantic comedy from Kinsman Studios. We have our first extensive look […]
How AFRIFF’s Inaugural Film Market Led to Distribution Deals, Sales Representation and Cannes Opportunities
One year ago, AFRIFF Film and Content Market (AFCM) entered its first year with the goal of creating a meeting point where African filmmakers can connect with professionals who could help move their projects forward. […]
Lagos Fringe 2026 Film Programme Features 20+ Short Films, and Masterclasses
The Lagos Fringe Festival has released its 2026 film programme, with short film screenings, industry sessions and a Film Night and Awards event scheduled for the ninth edition in November, as part of the wider […]
Sabi Arts Launches Annual Nigerian Playwright Prize With 1.4 Million Naira in Collaboration with Ouida Lagos
Sabi Arts Limited has launched the Sabi Arts Playwright Prize, a new annual award for emerging Nigerian playwrights, with a prize pool of 1.4 million naira and opportunities for production, residency and publication. Open to […]
‘IDIA’ Earns Three AMAA Nominations as International Awards Recognition Continues
Golden Mhinutes Pictures‘ cultural horror thriller IDIA continues to build on its international award and festival run, earning three nominations at the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), including Achievement in Soundtrack (Tolu Obanro) Achievement […]
First Look: Pamilerin Ayodeji Leads Africa No Filter-Backed Nigerian Coming-of-Age Film ‘Madam Flow’ (EXCLUSIVE)
What Kept Me Up can exclusively reveal a first look at Madam Flow, a new Nigerian coming-of-age film from Kinsman Studios led by Pamilerin Ayodeji. Set in a conservative Nigerian boarding school, Madam Flow follows […]
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
This week on Nollywood Distilled, year-end release plans came into sharper focus across streaming and cinemas, while AFRIFF unveiled more of its 2026 programme, Nigerian projects picked up five awards at Durban FilmMart, and Agbara […]
Essays
Can Horror Exorcise Nollywood’s Budget & Funding Demons?
Years ago, watching Twin Peaks felt as illusory as a child looking in a mirror for the first time and feeling the presence of another. It was so familiar yet so strange. Later, I would […]
Everything We Know About ‘The Black Book’, Editi Effiong’s Million-Dollar Thriller Starring RMD, So Far
With the budget that brought The Black Book to life, we won’t be surprised if it goes directly for a streaming release. The high budget covered expenses such as transporting generators to Tarkwa Bay for […]
‘Love, Lust and Other Things’ Review: Familiar Romantic Entanglement Falls into New Nollywood Trap
If you were born before the 2000s, you would be familiar with a brand of Nollywood romance films that were very popular in the early 2000s. They told stories of playboys, loverboys, beautiful women looking […]
Everything We Know About ‘Hijack ‘93’, Play Network’s Retelling of the 1993 Plane Hijack Incident, So Far
Charles Okpeleke of Play Network, under his vision to tell historical-based Nigerian stories and make modern versions of Nollywood classics, charges forward with the production of Hijack ‘93, a film that will be based on […]
‘The House of Secrets’ Review: May History Be Kind to This Relentless Show of Ambition
Ambition as a filmmaker can be a double-edged sword, showcasing the vastness of their art and years of craft, while also exposing limitations. For renowned director Niyi Akinmolayan, ambition has been a driving force throughout […]
‘Big Love’ Review: Family Drama Complicates Hesitant Romantic Plot
Romance pervades every form of art—literature, theatre, painting, film, etc. In fact, it pervades all sense of human life, which is why a well-told romantic story strikes a chord with viewers regardless of when, where, […]
