What happens when you ask Zainab Balogun to list her all-time favourite Nollywood films? You get ‘Blackberry Babes’, ‘God Calling’—and a surprising obsession with ‘Beyoncé & Rihanna’.
In the latest episode of Five Favourites, Nollywire’s series where actors and filmmakers share the Nigerian films that have stayed with them, Balogun’s picks are personal, chaotic, thoughtful—and never predictable. Her list blends internet-era camp with poetic storytelling, nodding to the deep emotional range Nollywood offers its audiences.
“I think of a movie that made me cry—or, like, just a little bit emotional,” she begins. “I don’t know if it was called Beyoncé vs Rihanna or just Beyoncé and Rihanna. That movie changed my life. It really did.”
The low-budget drama, which imagined a fictional rivalry between the global pop stars, was a viral hit in the 2000s. For Zainab Balogun, its boldness and cultural imagination still resonate.
“Who sat down and said they wanted to see what a Nollywood version of Beyoncé and Rihanna would look like? And the funny thing is, back then, there really was tension between them in real life—but they never addressed it. So now Nollywood is where they’re addressing their matters,” she laughs.
“If we could get a remake, please—I would love to audition.”
From that moment of chaos, Balogun pivots to something softer: ‘Seven Doors’, a film she recently discovered and instantly connected with.
“It’s such a beautiful love story—rich in culture, rich in history. But ultimately a movie about commitment, connection, and love. Ten out of ten. Love that.”
She also names ‘The Weekend’, a psychological thriller she praises for its tone and execution.
“I’m partial to psychological thrillers; maybe that’s why. But the idea of something that is beautifully shot, has a great story, and fantastic talent—watch The Weekend.”
Her fourth choice is pure nostalgia: ‘Blackberry Babes’, a cult classic that captured the energy of the early 2010s.
“That was Gen Z before Gen Z,” she says. “That was vibes. That was lifestyle. That was like—real life is happening. If you can find it legitimately, watch Blackberry Babes. Good times. Really good times.”
And finally, after a moment of hesitation, she names her own film: ‘God Calling’, the 2018 spiritual drama where she played the lead.
“I didn’t want to mention one of my movies,” she confesses. “But let’s make the last one God Calling. Makes you think. Makes you quiet. Makes you grateful—for the things that you have in your life.”
Whether it’s the emotional weight of ‘God Calling’ or the chaotic brilliance of ‘Beyoncé vs Rihanna’, Zainab Balogun’s favourites reflect a deep affection for the emotional and imaginative power of Nollywood.
