Niyi Akinmolayan Wants to Fix Casting in One Take
Recently, conversations around casting in Nollywood have circled the same concerns: familiar faces on repeat, a talent pool concentrated in a few cities, and a troubling preference for online popularity over acting skill. Filmmaker Niyi Akinmolayan has heard it all and now has decided to do something about it. “We’re not doing casting right,” he […]
Nigeria and Brazil Deepen Cultural Ties in Landmark Creative Industry Exchange
In a display of cultural diplomacy, the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria, in partnership with Filmhouse Group, welcomed a high-powered Brazilian delegation to Lagos this week. Hosted at Filmhouse Cinemas – IMAX, Lekki, the visit marked a strategic push to deepen bilateral ties through the creative economy. The delegation, composed of senior government […]
5 Nollyphiles List Their Favourite Films of 2025 So Far
We are slowly closing out the first half of 2025 and a glance at Nollywood’s slate so far is a wide mix of films, from crowd-pleasers to quieter titles that found their audience over time. To get a sense of what’s resonating with viewers, we asked five nollyphiles to share their favourite film of the […]
FilmHub Launches First Community Cinema in Lagos With Bold Plan for 1,000 Locations Across Nigeria
In a country where most people live far from a cinema, FilmHub’s low-budget pilot in Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos State, is testing whether community screenings can unlock a new future for Nigerian films. According to the 2024 Nigerian Box Office Yearbook compiled by FilmOne Entertainment, the ratio of people to cinema in West Africa is […]
Victor Boniface, Wilfred Ndidi, and Frank Onyeka Launch ‘The Culture League’ Talk Show
When Victor Boniface isn’t lighting up Bundesliga defences, he wants to talk music and memes with Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi in the group chat. That chemistry — the banter, the behind-the-scenes gist — is now going public through a new talk show: The Culture League. Launching on July 11, 2025, the new weekly talk […]
Bolatito Kolawole on Breaking into Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes and Telling Diaspora Stories
When Bolatito Kolawole got the email that she had been accepted into the Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes mentorship programme, it felt surreal and yet preordained. For the lawyer recently turned screenwriter, this was an affirmation. She grew up writing stories she was unable to finish and then essays for school but the writer path […]
Inside Judith Audu’s Producer Handbook
There’s a certain clarity that comes with experience—and with Judith Audu, it shows. She speaks about producing with the precision of someone who has mastered the craft and the warmth of someone still in love with it. Her approach is both technical and intuitive, grounded in logistics but led by heart. For her, producing is […]
‘Baptism’: Toni Tones, Ozzy Agwu and Bimbo Manuel Lead New Mystery Thriller
A church baptism in the outskirts of town. A community gathered in faith. And then, a sudden drowning that changes everything. This is the premise of ‘Baptism’, a new mystery thriller from Orire Nwani that recently completed principal photography. Produced by Conceptified Media and One Child Grace Studios, the film centres on members of St […]
Folu Storms on Becoming Fikayo Holloway and Living Outside the Box
In the sizzling new drama ‘Red Circle’, Folu Storms brings Fikayo Holloway to life with a fire that leaps off the screen. Fikayo is bold, impulsive, and unafraid to chase what she wants, sometimes to her own detriment. But for Storms, stepping into Fikayo’s stilettos was more than just another role; it was a journey […]
NTA Partners With Nollywood to Tackle Distribution Crisis
At the headquarters of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), a conversation that could shape the future of Nollywood occurred. The national broadcaster—once the beating heart of televised storytelling in Nigeria—opened its doors to a host of Nollywood’s top producers and directors in a gathering that was less about ceremony and more about forging a future. […]
Netflix Inflates Subscription Fees Again
Netflix subscribers will now pay more to stream their favourite films and series on the platform, as the platform has increased its subscription fees once again. This marks Netflix’s first price hike in 2025 and the third since 2024 in the country. The new pricing, now reflected on the company’s official website, shows a notable […]
Moses Babatope’s Recipe For Nollywood’s Next Chapter is Nile Entertainment
Moses Babatope and his team at Nile Entertainment are carving out a dauntless path. Their mission is simple but significant: to be a conduit for creative Nigerian storytelling and to expand the scope of what Nollywood can be. “I just want Nile to be that conduit, if you like, or medium or vessel for us […]
Akay Mason Jumped Hurdles to Make ‘Red Circle’
It’s 4 a.m. on the set of ‘Red Circle’. The camera is rolling. The actors are exhausted. The crew is silent. Akay Mason, the film’s director, is asking for yet another take. What began as a day shoot has turned into a night scramble after a truck breakdown upended the schedule. Everyone’s drained. But Mason […]
How Abdul Tijani-Ahmed’s Friendships and Dark Google Searches Powered ‘Red Circle’
When Abdul Tijani-Ahmed began researching for ‘Red Circle’, where he served as both screenwriter and producer, his search history got suspicious. “I had to research journalism,” he says with a smirk. “And, obviously, how to dispose of one or two bodies.” It is this sort of unnerving curiosity one might expect from a thriller writer. […]
Naz Onuzo on Cannes and Creative Investments in Nollywood
Naz Onuzo, co-founder of Inkblot Productions, recently returned from the Cannes Film Festival with a renewed sense of purpose and a clear message: Nigerian stories belong on the global stage. “Cannes was fine,” he says with a characteristic understatement. But beneath that simplicity is something deeper, a pride in what Nigerian filmmakers are achieving and […]
Teen Actors Roundtable Takes the Spotlight
At a glance, it looks like a group of regular teenagers trading stories and inside jokes. But at the Teen Actors Roundtable, it quickly becomes clear: these are not regular teens. They are stars: child actors who’ve become producers, influencers, award nominees, and, in some cases, viral sensations before their 16th birthdays. They have played […]
Tolu Ajayi’s ‘Over the Bridge’ Sets May 30 Cinema Release Across Francophone West Africa
Tribe Nation Theatrical Distribution, in partnership with The Garden Theatre Company, is proud to announce the regional theatrical release of ‘Over the Bridge’, a compelling drama from acclaimed director Tolu Ajayi. The film will debut in cinemas across French-speaking West Africa on May 30, 2025, with screenings taking place at Canal Olympia cinemas throughout the […]
Inside BRS Studios’ 2025 Slate: Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Ernest Obi, Ramsey Nouah to Direct
Following the streaming breakout of ‘Tokunbo’, which cracked Netflix’s Top 10 in over 50 countries and drew more than 5 million views in its first three days, BRS Studios isn’t slowing down. Instead, the Lagos-based studio has announced a 2025 film slate that signals something bigger: a deepening of its cultural ambition and a sharpened […]
Auditions Open for ’Bwari Blue’ Under the NextGen Films Initiative by Blue Pictures Entertainment and FilmTribe Media
Blue Pictures Entertainment and FilmTribe Media have officially kicked off auditions for ‘Bwari Blue’, the flagship feature of their NextGen Films Initiative, and they’re calling on fresh talent from across Lagos to Abuja to step into the spotlight. Launched by Blue Pictures CEO Joy Efe Odiete as part of her biannual CSR conference, the NextGen Films Initiative aims […]
NTA to Air Niyi Akinmolayan’s ‘Temi And The Labalaba Band’ on Saturday Mornings to 80M Viewers
Anthill Studios’ children’s musical drama ‘Temi And The Labalaba Band’, which first debuted on the Anthill Family YouTube channel on April 19, 2025, will now reach an even wider audience through a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Beginning Saturday, May 24, episodes will air at 9:30 a.m. on NTA’s free‑to‑air network service to […]
Nile Entertainment Picks Up African Rights to ‘Son of the Soil’
Moses Babatope led Nile Entertainment in acquiring the African distribution rights to ‘Son of the Soil’, the upcoming action drama led by British-Nigerian actor and producer Raz Adoti. The film, developed by British genre label Action Xtreme and shot entirely in Nigeria, tells the story of a British-Nigerian orphan and ex-soldier who returns to his […]
Nile Group Hosts Industry Cocktail “Nigeria Goes Global” at Cannes in Collaboration with Screen International & Screen Nigeria
In the heart of Cannes, one of the most prestigious gatherings in global cinema, the Nile Group, in partnership with Screen International and Screen Nigeria, hosted an unforgettable evening titled “Nigeria Goes Global: An Exploration of Global Partnerships for Local Productions”. The exclusive two-part event marked a significant step forward in elevating Nigeria’s film industry […]
Nicole Asinugo’s ‘God Knows Best’ Set for Private Screening at Cannes 2025
Set against the quiet grief of loss and the chaos of Lagos streets, ‘God Knows Best’—a new short film written and directed by Nicole Asinugo—will have its first screening on May 19 during a private session held alongside the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. At its heart is Simi, a young mother who resorts to unconventional […]
Bunmi Ajakaiye Wants Writers in the Spotlight
Bunmi Ajakaiye’s earliest memories are dotted with VHS tapes courtesy of her older sisters. She grew up watching ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Rocky’, ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’ and the Nollywood classics, including Tunde Kelani’s ‘Oleku’ and Alhaji Ajileye ‘Koto Orun’, amongst others. She describes her sisters’ film palette as “adventurous” because they welcome all genres […]
Funke Akindele and Mo Abudu Named Among The Most Influential Women in International Film by The Hollywood Reporter
Nollywood powerhouses Funke Akindele and Mo Abudu have earned spots on The Hollywood Reporter’s 2024 list of The Most Influential Women in International Film, a prestigious global roundup celebrating visionary women shaping cinema beyond Hollywood. Mo Abudu, the powerhouse behind EbonyLife Media, has long been a fixture on The Hollywood Reporter’s international power lists, and […]
Chioma Ude makes the 2025 Deadline Class of Disruptors at the Cannes Festival
At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where global cinematic powerhouses converge to chart the future of storytelling, Chioma Ude’s name resonates loudly in African cinema. The visionary founder of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) has been officially named to the Deadline Hollywood Class of Disruptors, a prestigious list honouring individuals who are boldly redefining […]
7 Nollyphiles Share Their Hot Takes on Nollywood
If you have been a cinephile or, in this case, a nollyphile for long, chances are you have opinions or hot takes on Nollywood. We have seen people argue online about differing opinions. The truth is everybody has hot takes on certain issues but today we spoke to a few nollyphiles who shared their hot […]
Cannes 2025: NFC Picks ’77: The Festac Conspiracy for AfroCannes Showcase
The historical thriller film ’77: The Festac Conspiracy has been chosen by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) for an exclusive preview at the AfroCannes Diversity & Inclusion Event, happening during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in France, giving audiences their first look at this vivid recreation of Africa’s landmark Second World Black and African Festival […]
Is the AMVCA Enough?
Last weekend, the African Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) returned for its 11th edition. Amongst its many winners are Chioma Akpotha for her role in ‘Seven Doors’ and Femi Adebayo for his performance in the same film. When the nomination list was first released, there were cries among fans, demanding why some movies and personalities were […]
AMVCA 2025 Winners: The Full List
The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) made its return for its 11th edition. More than just a glamorous evening of fashion and fanfare, the AMVCAs have grown to become a cultural touchstone, celebrating the artistry, innovation, and diversity of African film and television. This year’s ceremony was a vivid reflection of an industry on […]