The three selections show the range of Nigerian filmmaking currently reaching international festival audiences, from literary adaptations and star-led features to independent short films.
Nigerian cinema is making its presence felt at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), with three Nigerian films screening across different programmes at the prestigious festival.
From a contemporary Lagos adaptation of a literary classic to a story about marriage and a short film inspired by old-school Nollywood, here are the three Nigerian films at TIFF 2026:
1. Clarissa
Directed by twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri, Clarissa is a contemporary Lagos-set adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway.
The film stars Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri and India Amarteifio and follows Clarissa as she prepares for a party while confronting memories and relationships from her past.
Clarissa screened in TIFF’s Special Presentations programme. The film had previously premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and is set for a US theatrical release later this year.
2. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives
Directed by Daniel Oriahi, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives is an adaptation of Lola Shoneyin’s bestselling 2010 novel of the same name.
The film centres on a wealthy Ibadan businessman and his four wives after the arrival of a new, university-educated wife disrupts the household and exposes long-held secrets.
The film features Odunlade Adekola, Iyabo Ojo, Mercy Aigbe, Bimbo Ademoye and Omowunmi Dada. Produced by EbonyLife Films alongside Genesis Group, Nile Media Entertainment Group and Silverbird Group, it received its world premiere in TIFF’s Centrepiece programme.
The Spectacular Death of Prisca
Kaelo Iyizoba’s The Spectacular Death of Prisca represents Nigeria in TIFF’s Short Cuts programme.
The short film stars Rita Dominic, Genoveva Umeh, Fae Olumide and Shamz Garuba, with Dominic also serving as executive producer.
Drawing inspiration from the melodrama, humour and visual style of 2000s Nollywood, the film follows Iyizoba’s return to the kind of Nigerian cinema that influenced him growing up.
The film also made history at TIFF 2026 after receiving an Honourable Mention from the Short Cuts jury, becoming the first Nigerian film to receive jury recognition in the festival’s history.
Nigeria at TIFF 2026
The three selections show the range of Nigerian filmmaking currently reaching international festival audiences, from literary adaptations and star-led features to independent short films.
