Film Forum

3:30 & 8:00 ONLY

This stunning debut drama, set in colorful, chaotic Lagos, the former Nigerian capital, is made by twin brothers, Arie and Chuko Esiri. Not unlike many working class Americans, the two main characters are just one piece of bad news away from a precipitous fall into poverty. Both are scrambling to overcome Kafkaesque obstacles placed in the way of obtaining passports to quit Nigeria for Europe.

NIGERIA   2020   110 MINS.   IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES   JANUS FILMS

Reviews

“With hints of Ozu, Claire Denis and Robert Altman’s SHORT CUTS… From the tiny dwellings of its two protagonists…to the larger domains of landlords and mob bosses, to the high-end bars and luxury hotels where businessmen and expats live like minor kings... A love-hate letter to a great and flawed city.”
– Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter

“The engaging, earnest, loose-limbed debut feature from Nigerian twin-brother directors Arie & Chuko Esiri... a low-key charmer... a clear-eyed portrait of a vibrant city, informed by the unfakeable love and well-earned exasperation of two talented native sons.”
– Jessica Kiang, Variety

“Stunning... a tale of restless mobility and broken dreams...powerfully redefine(s) visual representation of Lagos... part of a promising new wave of Nigerian cinema which seeks to break away from the shadow of Nollywood. It is bold, unafraid of proposing new cinematic languages while engaging complex social issues.”
– Chrystel Oloukoï, Sight & Sound