Wingonia Ikpi’s 'The Lost Days' Arrives on Prime Video July 11 Under The First Features Project 1

Wingonia Ikpi’s ‘The Lost Days’ Arrives on Prime Video July 11 Under The First Features Project

A woman returns to her family, only to vanish again — that’s the emotional pivot at the heart of ‘The Lost Days’, the latest feature from the First Features Project, arriving July 11 on Prime Video.

Directed by Wingonia Ikpi in her debut, ‘The Lost Days’ is a meditative family drama that explores how grief, resentment, and silence can calcify into permanent distance. It’s the ninth title under the First Features banner, the initiative from Native Filmworks and Michelangelo Productions that backs first-time directors committed to telling grounded, emotionally complex Nigerian stories.

In line with earlier releases like Seun Richards’ ‘At Ease’ and Courage Obayuwana’s ‘Kill Boro’, ‘The Lost Days’ turns away from melodrama and embraces the slow burn of family tension, grief, and regret.

Wingonia Ikpi’s 'The Lost Days' Arrives on Prime Video July 11 Under The First Features Project 1
Wingonia Ikpi’s ‘The Lost Days’ Arrives on Prime Video July 11 Under The First Features Project 1

At the centre of the story is Chisom, played by theatre director Ifeoma Fafunwa in her first screen acting role. A wealthy woman in remission from lymphoma, she returns to Abeokuta to make peace with the family she left behind. But her reappearance triggers more than reconciliation: when Chisom suddenly disappears without explanation, her loved ones are left to confront the damage caused by years of silence.

Bimbo Manuel plays Baba Kola, Chisom’s former lover — a man struggling to separate his present life from unresolved feelings. Cynthia Clarke appears as Nkem, Chisom’s daughter, forced to confront the complexity of her mother’s return. Baaj Adebule and Durotimi Okutagidi round out the main cast as Moses and Kola.

Written by Abdul Tijani-Ahmed and Paul S. Rowlston, ‘The Lost Days’ examines the things Nigerian families often leave unsaid — the quiet violence, the unresolved grief, and the emotional burdens passed from one generation to the next. It’s the kind of restrained, character-driven storytelling the First Features Project has made its signature.

Ikpi brings a background in talent management to her role behind the camera, directing with a reserved confidence that lets her actors lead. In casting Fafunwa — a theatre figure best known for directing rather than performing — ‘The Lost Days’ continues the project’s habit of embracing unexpected talent in unconventional roles.

Set in Abeokuta, far from the visual clichés of Lagos life, the film reaffirms First Features’ commitment to local texture and emotional authenticity. It’s not just about where stories happen, but how they unfold — slowly, carefully, with an eye toward everything families bury under tradition, distance, or shame.

Produced by Steve Gukas, Dotun Olakunri, Chioma Ezeani, and Bola Atta, The Lost Days adds another distinct voice to a growing portfolio that continues to push the possibilities of African cinema — one first-time director at a time.

‘The Lost Days’ begins streaming exclusively on Prime Video from July 11, 2025.

>>> Watch trailer and see more details about titles from this story: The Lost Days