Asurf Oluseyi’s ‘3 Cold Dishes’ continues its festival run as the director has confirmed to Nollywire that the film won the Best World Film Award at the 2025 Harlem International Film Festival.
Held annually in New York, the Harlem International Film Festival celebrates distinctive global storytelling. Its Best World Film category recognises outstanding international features that reflect bold and original perspectives, an ethos that aligns with Oluseyi’s film, which traces three women’s pursuit of revenge after a shared trauma.
This recognition adds to a carefully built international campaign for the film that has seen Grammy-winning recording artist Burna Boy front and centre; from Burna Boy’s introduction of its first teaser at his Stade de France concert to presenting the full trailer, he was also present at the UK premiere on October 3, 2025.
Following the recent seven-day road trip adventure, the film also picked up two Septimius Awards nominations and was selected as part of the six Nigerian titles presented to global buyers at TIFF 50. It is expected to continue its international rollout through festival and theatrical runs.
Set against the backdrop of Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mauritania, ‘3 Cold Dishes’ follows three women, played by Osas Ighodaro, Fat Toure, and Maud Guerard, as they hunt down Wale Ojo’s character to settle old scores tied to trauma, survival, and betrayal.
The thriller also stars Femi Jacobs, Mentor Ba, Amelie Mbaye, and Ruby Akubueze as a younger version of Ighodaro’s character in captivity and an international ensemble with dialogue in English and French.
The film was co-produced by Asurf Films, Burna Boy, and Bose Ogulu’s Space Films, in partnership with Nexthought Studios, Ifind Pictures (France), Black Mic Mac (France), Martian Network (The Netherlands), and Alma Production (Cote d’Ivoire). It also received backing from MBO Capital, while Ighodaro co-produced through her Imuetiyan Productions.
Oluseyi directs from a screenplay, written by Tomi Adesina, exploring the consequences of trafficking, exploitation, and the long shadow of violence.
After its UK debut, ‘3 Cold Dishes’ will roll out theatrically across West Africa, France, and other territories. It starts showing in cinemas from November 7 in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Cameroon, and the United Kingdom.
From November 28, audiences in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, Togo, DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Tunisia, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Djibouti will also experience the thriller before its Canadian premiere on December 16, 2025.
