After Venice, Nigerian cinema continues its festival circuit
"Dear Ajayi" by Damilola Orimogunje, awarded at Venice Days, continues its journey to Rio de Janeiro and El Gouna; eight other Nigerian films have been selected for Film Africa 2026 in London.
The Nigerian-German film “Dear Ajayi”, directed by Damilola Orimogunje, continues its path through international festivals with selections at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival and the El Gouna Film Festival, where it will have its North African premiere. The film had debuted at Venice Days, where it received the Enrico Fulchignoni Award, presented by Unesco, and the Bisato d’Oro Award for best cast, before beginning a limited release in Nigerian cinemas in September.
Alongside “Dear Ajayi”, nine Nigerian films have been selected for Film Africa 2026, the showcase taking place in London from October 23 to November 1, which remains one of the main European platforms for African and diaspora cinema. Among the chosen titles are Chinazaekpere Chukwu’s directorial debut, “Her Daughters’ Mother”, Orimogunje’s own “Dear Ajayi”, “Clarissa” by Arie and Chuko, and the documentary “Crocodile”, produced by The Critics Company.
October also sees the return to Nigerian cinemas of historic titles such as “Agbara Nla: The Return”, coinciding with Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration on October 1: a sign of how the Nigerian film market pairs the release of new works with the revival of its own repertoire.
The trajectory of “Dear Ajayi” — from its Venice debut to selections in Rio de Janeiro and El Gouna, through to its release in Nigerian cinemas — shows how a single film can now move across multiple festival circuits simultaneously, from Venice to North Africa and South America. It is a path that reflects a broader trend: the growing presence of Nollywood at major international events, no longer merely as a domestic production market but as an industry capable of competing and engaging with European, South American and North African circuits.
The selection of nine Nigerian titles for a single edition of Film Africa confirms this trajectory: alongside already established names, the London showcase also spotlights directorial debuts and documentary productions, a sign of generational renewal alongside works already honored at major festivals. Film Africa 2026 opens in London on October 23 with nine Nigerian titles on the program, including “Dear Ajayi”, in a calendar that intertwines with Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations and the revival of classic local cinema in theaters across Lagos and other cities in the country.
