The Nigerian Filmmaking duo Chuko and Arie Esiri has secured a distribution deal with American independent film production and distribution company NEON for their latest project titled Clarissa. Neon, which holds U.S. international sales rights, has built a strong reputation for bringing global cinemas to American audiences. And this time their Selection is Clarissa.
Clarissa is a contemporary drama that adapts the core themes and narrative structure of Virginia Woolf’s 1925 Literary work, Mrs Dalloway, to the vibrant, complex environment of modern-day Lagos State.
The Esiri brothers’ sophomore film follows Clarissa, played by Sophie Okonedo, a Lagos socialite who hosts a party, which later becomes a crucible for emotional reckoning among old friends who have not seen each other in years. As the night unfolds, the group of friends shares memories, unresolved love, buried desires, and lost dreams. The film’s narrative alternates between present-day Lagos and flashbacks to the protagonists’ childhood in Abraka, Delta State, which is the Esiri brothers’ hometown.
The film is directed and produced by Arie and Chuko Esiri, with Chuko also serving as the screenwriter. The executive producers include lead actress Sophie Okonedo, Dolly Omodolapo Kola-Balogun, Osahon Okunbo, and Jason Reif. They are joined by Theresa Park for Per Capita Productions and Nicholas Weinstock for Invention Studios as principal producers.
The ensemble cast of Clarissa were internationally acclaimed actors, many of whom are part of the Nigerian diaspora and have achieved recognition in both African and Western cinemas. The cast includes Sophie Okonedo, who plays the protagonist role of Clarissa, David Oyelowo, Nikki Amuka-Bird, India Amarteifio, Toheeb Jimoh, Jude Akuwudike, Fortune Nwafor, Danny Sapani, and Joke Silva, enriching the film’s diversity, each bringing a wealth of experience from both African and international production.
The distribution deal between the Esiri brothers and NEON was officially announced on February 6, 2026, following the completion of principal photography in Nigeria. This deal marks another major step for the twin brothers, who first gained international recognition with their debut film, Eyimofe.
Eyimofe after its release in 2020 screened at major international film festivals and was later distributed in North America by Janus Films before becoming the first Nigerian movie title to be added to the Criterion Collection.
NEON, which has gained a reputation for distribution of Oscar-winning drama Parasite that became the first non-English language film to win the Academy Awards, has acquired worldwide rights to Clarissa, marking one of the most significant international distribution agreements for a Nigerian-directed film to date.
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