‘Osamede’, a cinematic retelling of the 1897 Benin invasion through the lens of fantasy and mythology, will premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Market on May 17. The screening at Pavillon Afriques spotlights Nollywood’s growing international push of genre filmmaking and embrace of epic storytelling grounded in African heritage
Directed by AMVCA winner James Omokwe (Cheta’m, Ajoche, Riona, Itura) and executive produced by financier-turned-filmmaker Lilian Olubi, the epic follows an orphaned girl in 1897 Benin who discovers supernatural powers and leads a resistance against British forces.
The story centres on the Aruosa stone, a sacred artefact tied to Benin cosmology, and draws on the real events of British colonisation.
“This isn’t fantasy for fantasy’s sake,” Omokwe told Nollywire in a past conversation. “We’re not borrowing from Western lore—we’re mining our own. We’re reclaiming history through genre.” For Omokwe, whose television work has consistently explored traditional themes through modern formats, this is his most ambitious leap yet.
“We’ve seen what Black Panther did for Afrofuturism. With ‘Osamede’, we’re creating something just as bold but grounded in our own mythology and legacy,” he says.
The film builds on a successful theatrical run by Olubi’s Gold Lilies Productions, which staged the story 12 times to sold-out audiences in Lagos and Benin.
For Olubi, the move to film was both strategic and personal. “Osamede is part of Nollywood’s next chapter,” she told Nollywire. “We’re showcasing that our history, when told with cinematic scale and care, can resonate globally. African stories don’t need to be reimagined through a Western gaze to command attention.”
Beyond storytelling, the Omokwe-directed project also reflects a growing ambition to unlock new investment models for Nollywood. “A lot of what I’ve been doing is not just putting in money but creating structure,” Olubi said. “We have to build products that are commercially viable while still being culturally rooted. That’s the only way Nollywood can attract serious capital and build an ecosystem that works beyond just talent.”
Shot entirely in Benin City with deep attention to cultural detail, the film stars Ivie Okujaye Egboh, Tosin Adeyemi, William Benson, Lexan Aisosa Peters, and Nollywood veteran Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen.
Shot on location in Benin City, the film was crafted with meticulous attention to detail, weaving visual effects, historical costuming, and culturally resonant production design into a cinematic experience that pushes the boundaries of Nollywood’s fantasy genre.
While comparisons to global blockbusters like The Woman King and Black Panther help frame the film’s international relevance, ‘Osamede’ is part of a homegrown Nollywood movement redefining the epic. It joins recent Nigerian projects, including ‘Anikulapo’, ‘House of Gaa’, and ‘Lisabi’, exploring history, legend, and myth through fresh cinematic lenses.
Olubi will also appear on the Cannes panel “Beyond Budgets: Innovative Funding for Filmmakers”, where she’ll share insights from independently financing Osamede—a project she backed with a commitment to creative ownership and local impact.
The film’s international debut comes at a landmark moment for Nigerian cinema. This year also sees ‘My Father’s Shadow’ become the first Nigerian title to screen in Cannes’ Official Selection. Together, these films solidify a powerful dual presence for Nigeria at the festival, spotlighting both artistic and commercial strides on the global stage.
