Nigerian filmmakers captivate global audiences at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) with bold storytelling, emotional depth, and cultural resonance, marking a powerful moment for Nollywood
Toronto in September buzzed with the excitement of cinema, and this year, the red carpets had a vibrant Nigerian touch.
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Nollywood made a bold entrance onto the global stage at the 50th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which took place from September 4 to September 14, 2025.
The festival showcased a line-up of films that were not only diverse in style but also ambitious in their storytelling.
_Dust to Dreams_
Perhaps no film embodied the spirit of cross-continental collaboration quite like Dust to Dreams.
Directed by Idris Elba and produced by Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Films, the short film turned Lagos into a character of its own.
Featuring global music icon, Seal, alongside Nigerian stars like Nse Ikpe-Etim and Eku Edewor, it told the story of a fractured family searching for healing through music.
TIFF audiences were drawn to its universal themes, but for Nigerians, there was pride in seeing Lagos portrayed with such nuance and vibrancy on one of cinema’s biggest stages.
_Mother’s Love_
The festival’s emotional heartbeat came from Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde’s ‘Mother’s Love’.
For three decades, Omotola has been a screen icon, and her TIFF directorial debut felt like history in the making.
The drama-thriller, which explores grief and the lengths to which a mother will go for her daughter, screened to a packed audience at TIFF Lightbox on September 6.
TIFF audiences were drawn to its universal themes, but for Nigerians, there was pride in seeing Lagos portrayed with such nuance and vibrancy on one of cinema’s biggest stages.
_BAM BAM_
If Mother’s Love was the emotional core, then BAM BAM was its bold experiment.
Directed by rising filmmaker, Tolu Itegboje, the short sci-fi coming-of-age tale follows Babatunde, a shy teenager who befriends a mysterious companion.
With its futuristic aesthetic and universal themes of fear, choice, and connection, BAM BAM lit up TIFF’s Industry Market screenings.
For audiences accustomed to Nollywood’s dramas and comedies, this was a refreshing leap into uncharted creative territory.
_Agemo_
The mystical found its home in ‘Agemo’, a supernatural thriller by Moshood Abiola that plunged viewers into African mythologies.
Rooted in Yoruba spirituality, Agemo invited audiences to confront the power of folklore in shaping identity and fate.
In a festival packed with global stories, this film stood out as unapologetically local, yet spoke across borders through its rich cinematic language.
_Stitches_
Completing the Nigerian lineup was ‘Stitches’, a glossy yet layered drama from Shirley Frimpong-Manso.
Set in Lagos’ pulsating fashion world, the film followed Boma, a gifted designer navigating ambition, identity, and the price of success.
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With its lush visuals and sharp commentary on Nigeria’s booming creative industries, Stitches shimmered with both style and substance as part of TIFF’s Industry Selects program, which features films available for acquisition by international buyers.
