Clarissa: The Biggest Nigerian Film at the 2026 Annual Cannes Film Festival

 

Clarissa: The Biggest Nigerian Film at the 2026 Annual Cannes Film Festival

Clarissa is the second feature of the twin brothers,Arie and Chuko Esiri known for their award winning directorial feature, Eyimofe (This Is My Desire), of 2020 that was in official competition for the best feature at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany and other international film festivals.

Clarissa is the first Nigerian film to be selected for the annual Directors’ Fortnight and among the 19 international films selected for the 58th edition of the Directors’ Fortnight alongside the main 79th annual Cannes Film Festival taking place from 12 to 23 May 2026.

Clarissa was shot on 35mm across Lagos and Delta State in late 2025 with a budget of US$4 million. The film is an adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s 1925 romantic novel, “Mrs Dalloway” in Nigerian version about the drama unfolding as a society woman, Clarissa prepares to host a party at her home in Lagos city, where she will unexpectedly encounter once-intimate friends from her youth. As the group reflects on their shared past over the course of a single night, memories of their intricate relationships, passionate love, hidden desires, and lost aspirations give rise to bittersweet reckoning.

Starring acclaimed  Nigerian actress, Sophie Okonedo and actors,David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri, Toheeb Jimoh, and India Amarteifio, the English actress of Ghanaian and German ancestry.

The film has been acquired by Neon for global film distribution.

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Photos from the World Premiere of "Infant at Heart" in London

 

Photos from the World Premiere of "Infant at Heart", the First Nollywood Igbo Psychological Thriller in London

The director and writer, Aguyi IKEOBI Silence.

The world premiere of "Infant at Heart", the first Nollywood Igbo psychological thriller held on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at the Odeon Greenwich in London, UK. The event attracted many people, including important dignitaries and friends of the director, Aguiyi IKEOBI Silence who also wrote the gripping screenplay. This is his first feature film.

IKEOBI Silence said he made "Infant at Heart" in his mother tongue of Igbo language to make it an original and believable story.

"It is from stories about some Catholic Priests in Eastern Nigeria."

"The movie is an emotional journey that resonates deeply with everyone that has faced loss or confronted the truth by themselves, " said Vera Kanu, the producer.

Starring top Nollywood.stars, Monalisa Chinda Coker, Nkem Owoh and Williams Uchemba, the drama centers on a grieving Justice Ngozi Chimerije dealing with loss, trauma and bipolar disorder when her brother-in-law moves in and a new murder case appears. 

The film deals existential realities of loss, truth, resilience, self-confrontation and the consequences of the trauma of adolescent rape.

SYNOPSIS

After the tragic loss of her only child, Justice Ngozi Chimerije is forced to confront buried trauma. But when her brother-in-law moves in to pursue his studies, and a chilling murder case lands on her desk, her grip on reality begins to slip — and her life hangs in the balance.

View the official trailer on 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-AjTU5A4BYW-slLZJV5wa7b3lB1I47iN/view?usp=share_link

A production of Afrigold TV Ltd and the Executive Producers are Aguiyi IKEOBI Silence and Dr. Olebara Uzoukwu popularly known for "Dr. Mekam" (2018) and "Black Day" (2018). An award winning actress and filmmaker. She also played the role of Mrs. Gbemisola in the movie.

Oby Olebara Uzoukwu 
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13364798/

CAST

Monalisa Chinda Coker, Nkem Owoh Osuofia, Williams Uchemba, Emeka Darlington, Mike Durueke, Emeka Enyiocha, Bryan Emmanuel

Director

Aguiyi IKEOBI silence 

Producer

Vera Kanu

Writer

Aguiyi IKEOBI Silence 

Infant at Heart (2024) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37342133/fullcredits/

Duration

132 mins

Genre

Drama, Psychological Thriller

Country

Nigeria

Language(s)

English, Igbo

"Breath of Life" is an Unforgettable Journey of Discovery of the Power of Faith, Love and Triumph of the Human Spirit

A breathtaking masterpiece of  storytelling in motion picture.

"Breath of Life" is a period drama set in Ibadan in the 1950s. It is about "Timi", a gifted clergyman who turns into an "old lonely curmudgeon when his family is tragically taken from him. Until Elijah, a humble man with big dreams of becoming a priest, comes into his life. Through Elijah, Timi not only learns to live again, but also realizes purpose for all his gifts and wealth."

The Oscar performance of Wale Ojo as "Timi" has proven that he is indeed  more than an actor of actors, but also an auteur of genius in his excellent interpretation of one of the greatest portraits of unique and unforgettable characters in Nigerian drama. 

No other actor in Nollywood would have been able to play a better  challenging role of such an iconic character of "Timi" as Wale Ojo did exceptionally well.

He is among the best actors in the world in the same class with Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Anthony Hopkins of Hollywood for his mastery of being absorbed in the personality of every character he has played the leading role in different movies. This is a rare  accomplishment among actors in Nigeria, because only few of them have such command in characterization and intellectual depth.

Overall, in concise and precise analysis, the "Breath of Life" is a breathtaking cinematic drama of intellectual and spiritual insights on the triumph of faith, love and the human spirit in the conquest of the existential realities of life in the world. The survival, triumph and victory of the human spirit in the vicissitudes of the trials of life.

The director, producer, cinematographer, screenwriter, composer of the soundtracks and production designer have made a film that will become one of the timeless classics of filmmaking in Nigeria. "Breath of Life" is more than the typical Nollywood movie. It is a beautiful story in motion picture that will resonate with people in different societies in the world, because it is a universal journey of discovery of the true essence of human existence on Earth.

It would be more appreciated dubbed in other languages for the rest of the world to share in the beauty of this drama of the worth of every breath of life.

"Breath of Life" is one of the best films of the year and the kind of Nigerian film that should have been in the Official Selection of the annual Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d'Or.

Principal cast:

Wale Ojo, Bimbo Manuel, Sam Dede, Tina Mba, Sambasa Nzeribe, Genoveva Umeh, Chimezie Imo, Demola Adedoyin, Melly Atari and others.

Produced by 

Eku Edewor and Aderinola Adeyokunnu.

Written and directed by BB Sasore, Ola Cardoso is the Director of Photography and Kelechi Odu is the Creative Director.

More details on 
https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Breath-of-Life/0MAIUKK9AP09W0F2HQ99XWI0DD

A must on the watchlist of everyone who loves great movies.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor,

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series,

The first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry since 2013, printed in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America and distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers in paperback, hardcopy and Amazon Kindle.

DANGEROUS MEN: The Next Big Nigerian Film After IJÉ the Journey

Dangerous Men: The Next Big Nigerian Film After Chineze Anyaene's IJÉ the Journey
« on: Today at 03:23:36 PM »



SYNOPSIS
Emmanuel (Nigerian action star George Davidson), is an assassin who goes against the order of his contractor X (GuGu E. Michaels) and refuses to carry out a hit placed on Senator Kingston (New comer M.J. Mathias).

Emmanuel in danger, is forced to take a homeless man (Nigeria’s 5 times Kung Fu champion Leo U” Che) and turn him into the perfect killer. The deadly duo forms an alliance with Kingston and go after X the very man that hired Emmanuel for the Kingston hit. This action flick leads to an ultimate fighting showdown between the new generation assassin Samuel and the veteran head of the organization of Assassins X. Get ready for non-stop action, masterful fight sequences and out of the world visual effects that will leave the audience with their mouths open and in shock. Shot in High Definition (HD), with 35mm film look, shot with the backdrop of Lagos, Nigeria.
Dangerous Men is a sure thing for all action fans across the globe.

Dangerous Men has attracted the interest of the major North American distributor TMG WARNER SYSTEM,

The production company GU International Pictures (GIP) is an American Nigerian multimedia entertainment company making films, music videos and other productions of world class standard.



DANGEROUS MEN is a thriller by GuGu E. Michaels, an accomplished filmmaker who has worked as a director and producer on a number of commercial and independent projects including the feature films "Thugz", "Repentance" and "Dangerous County". He has also helmed a number of campaigns for retailers like Cadillac, Lamborghini and Porche. Prior to co-founding New Era Pictures, Michaels served as president of Dallas based Redrumm Records and worked with such artists as hip hop giants UGK.



DANGEROUS MEN will start showing at Silverbird Cinemas from October 15, 2010.