Reviews
‘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 […]
‘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 […]
News
Nile Entertainment Maps Out Diverse October Slate With Five Nigerian Releases
Faith, history, politics, cross country romance and alternate futures all have one thing in common this October in Nile Entertainment. Led by Moses Babatope, the two-year-old company is preparing for one of its busiest months […]
Kamo State, Mama Deola Bring Their Creator Brands to Film This September
This September, two new films led by figures who made their names in the Nigerian content creator space will make their way from social media skits to producing and starring in their own film projects. […]
‘Boys Like Us’ Wraps Season 2 Shooting, Sets Sights on 2026 Return
Kamisi Adebisi’s Boys Like Us has wrapped principal photography on its second season, with the six-episode series expected to premiere on YouTube later this year. Season 2 will continue the story of the four young […]
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
This week on Nollywood Distilled, Nigerian cinema continues to expand its global reach while the business at home shows no signs of slowing down. From another major international festival showcase and market opportunities at TIFF […]
Melon House-Produced ‘Adanne’ to Begin Festival Run with AAIFF Rwanda and Women of the Lens Festival London
Melon House’s debut feature Adanne, directed by Orobosa Ikponmwen, is set to begin its festival run with selections at the All African Independent Film Festival (AAIFF) in Kigali, Rwanda, and the Women of the Lens […]
Wande Thomas’ ‘Spiraling’ Selected for Silicon Valley African Film Festival 2026
Wande Thomas’ Spiraling has been selected for the 17th Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF), where it will screen alongside seven other Nigerian films in the festival’s 2026 programme. Spiraling, a 133-minute thriller drama, follows […]
Orobosa Ikponmwen’s Young Adult Drama ‘Pushing 30’ Sets October Africa Magic Premiere (Watch Trailer)
A film about a group of young adults is heading to the small screen in Orobosa Ikponmwen’s Pushing 30, premiering on Africa Magic Showcase in October. And we have the first trailer. The film follows […]
Nollywood Distilled: The Stories That Mattered This Week
Nigeria is named Country of Focus at FIC Luanda, Dear Ajayi maps its journey from Venice to Nigerian cinemas, Kava celebrates one year and prepares its first original, FilmJoint opens submissions for 2027, Night of June 7th faces a regulatory delay, and The Headies continues to spotlight music created for film and television.
Essays
TIFF 2016 and Nollywood’s Evolving Relationship With The Global Film Festival Ecosystem
When Eyimofe premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020, it became the first Nigerian film officially selected at the Berlinale. Over the next year, it travelled to festivals across multiple countries, won […]
‘Brotherhood’ Review: Falz and Tobi Bakre Lead Ambitious Crime Thriller
Thrillers that have twins as the lead characters seem to always have exciting plots whether the characters are working together against a common adversary or whether they are on opposite sides. Brotherhood joins films like […]
Short Film Review: ‘Of The Essence’
I do not think we’re meant to see films once. Stanley Kubrick once said, “The whole idea that a movie should be seen only once is an extension of our traditional conception of the film […]
‘The Woman King’ Review: Authenticity Shelved for Themes and Aesthetics
Tẹjú Cole states in his 2018 essay “On the Blackness of the Panther”, “many movies made by Hollywood have engaged in thought experiments about Africa. Some, made for American whites, resurrect colonial fantasy, with the […]
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Freedom Way’ Cast Announcement: Meg Otanwa, Mr Macaroni, Timini Egbuson, Bimbo Akintola and Bucci Franklin to Star in Olalekan Afolabi’s Directorial Debut
EXCLUSIVE: Debo Adedayo (Mr Macaroni), Timini Egbuson, Bucci Franklin, Hungani Ndlovu, Meg Otanwa, Taye Arimoro, Sophie Alakija, Jide Kosoko, Bimbo Akintola and Femi Jacobs are set to star in Freedom Way, the directorial feature debut […]
6 Questions with Abdul Tijani-Ahmed: Co-writing ‘Brotherhood’, Importance of Set Visits and Writing Without Restraints for a Blockbuster
After years of fighting to survive on the streets of Lagos, two brothers, played by Falz and Tobi Bakre, fall on opposite sides of the law. The bonds of brotherhood are put to the ultimate […]
