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Three Nigerian films featured in the official festival programme: Daniel Oriahi’s The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, Arie and Chuko Esiri’s Clarissa, and Kaelo Iyizoba’s short film The Spectacular Death of Prisca. Beyond the screenings, projects and industry players also participated in the festival’s new international film market, placing Nollywood within wider conversations around financing, distribution and the global future of African cinema.
It was a presence that stretched from the red carpet to the marketplace. Key cast members of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives attended the film’s world premiere in Toronto, while Clarissa brought Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri and India Amarteifio to the festival. Behind the scenes, producers, distributors and filmmakers also engaged with international buyers, financiers and industry executives.
Perhaps the most recognisably mainstream Nollywood entry was The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives. Adapted from Lola Shoneyin’s acclaimed novel and produced by EbonyLife Films in partnership with Genesis Media Group, Nile Media Entertainment Group, Silverbird Group and Flytime Entertainment, the film had its world premiere in TIFF’s Centrepiece programme. Its ensemble was led by Odunlade Adekola as Baba Segi, alongside Omowunmi Dada, Bimbo Ademoye, Iyabo Ojo and Mercy Aigbe, with the screening generating attention for its performances.
Also featured was Clarissa, directed by Nigerian twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri. A contemporary reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, the film relocated the story to present-day Lagos and brought together an international cast including Okonedo, Oyelowo, Edebiri, Amarteifio and Toheeb Jimoh.
Unlike The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, Clarissa did not make its world premiere in Toronto, having previously debuted at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. Its TIFF appearance nevertheless provided another significant international platform for a story rooted firmly in Lagos, with its stars adding considerable red-carpet visibility.
But the presence in Toronto extended beyond the festival screens. The inaugural TIFF: The Market provided another platform through the Global Africa Hub and CANEX Creations. Three Nigerian works-in-progress — Editi Effiong’s The Black Book 2: Old Scores, Damilola Orimogunje’s Dear Ajayi and Nosarieme Garrick’s Last Weekend in October — were among six African projects presented to international buyers, financiers and other industry players.
The three projects were not part of TIFF’s official festival selection, but participated on the business and industry side through TIFF: The Market, providing another route to international financing, sales, partnerships and distribution opportunities.
On the buying side, FilmOne Entertainment was selected as the Nigerian representative among a group of African buyers participating in the inaugural Market, giving the industry a presence within the distribution and acquisition conversation as well.
Leading industry figures were similarly part of the wider conversations in Toronto, with Mo Abudu, Nile Media’s Moses Babatope and CANEX’s Osahon Akpata among those connected to discussions around the international growth, financing and distribution of African cinema.
Altogether, the presence at TIFF operated on several fronts: stories appeared on festival screens, actors and filmmakers walked the red carpet, new projects entered the international marketplace, and producers, distributors and investors participated in conversations about how African films could travel beyond their domestic markets.
For The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, the journey continues with its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 14 October, before heading home for its African premiere in Lagos on 29 November. It is then scheduled to open in cinemas from 4 December.
Nollywood did not simply show films in Toronto. It increasingly took its place in the wider international conversation about how African stories are made, financed, distributed and seen.
Unlike The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, Clarissa did not make its world premiere in Toronto, having previously debuted at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. Its TIFF appearance nevertheless provided another significant international platform for a story rooted firmly in Lagos, with its stars adding considerable red-carpet visibility.
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| Cast of The Spectacular Death of Prisca at TIFF 2026 |
Nollywood’s past also found an interesting place at TIFF through Kaelo Iyizoba’s The Spectacular Death of Prisca. The short feature, which had its world premiere in TIFF’s Short Cuts programme, starred veteran Rita Dominic alongside Genoveva Umeh, Fae Olumide and Shamz Garuba, with Dominic also serving as an executive producer. TIFF described the film as a “love letter to Nollywood.”
But the presence in Toronto extended beyond the festival screens. The inaugural TIFF: The Market provided another platform through the Global Africa Hub and CANEX Creations. Three Nigerian works-in-progress — Editi Effiong’s The Black Book 2: Old Scores, Damilola Orimogunje’s Dear Ajayi and Nosarieme Garrick’s Last Weekend in October — were among six African projects presented to international buyers, financiers and other industry players.
The three projects were not part of TIFF’s official festival selection, but participated on the business and industry side through TIFF: The Market, providing another route to international financing, sales, partnerships and distribution opportunities.
On the buying side, FilmOne Entertainment was selected as the Nigerian representative among a group of African buyers participating in the inaugural Market, giving the industry a presence within the distribution and acquisition conversation as well.
Leading industry figures were similarly part of the wider conversations in Toronto, with Mo Abudu, Nile Media’s Moses Babatope and CANEX’s Osahon Akpata among those connected to discussions around the international growth, financing and distribution of African cinema.
Altogether, the presence at TIFF operated on several fronts: stories appeared on festival screens, actors and filmmakers walked the red carpet, new projects entered the international marketplace, and producers, distributors and investors participated in conversations about how African films could travel beyond their domestic markets.
For The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, the journey continues with its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 14 October, before heading home for its African premiere in Lagos on 29 November. It is then scheduled to open in cinemas from 4 December.
Nollywood did not simply show films in Toronto. It increasingly took its place in the wider international conversation about how African stories are made, financed, distributed and seen.
- Jimi D Baldheaded Guy