The film has already secured worldwide distribution through NEON, which will oversee its theatrical release across the United States and international markets, with NEON International handling foreign sales. The acquisition signals strong global confidence in a project rooted in African production yet positioned for international audiences.
A Lagos Reimagining of a Literary Classic
Clarissa offers a contemporary reinterpretation of Virginia Woolf’s landmark novel Mrs Dalloway, relocating its introspective drama to present-day Lagos. Shot on 35mm film across Lagos and Delta State, the feature centers on a sophisticated society woman preparing to host an evening gathering in her home. As former intimates from her youth reappear, the evening unfolds into a meditation on memory, longing, lost aspirations, and the fragile architecture of relationships.
Set over the course of a single night, the film weaves themes of time and emotional reckoning into a visually textured portrait of modern Nigerian life, balancing literary heritage with contemporary African storytelling.
An International Ensemble
The film boasts a distinguished cast led by Academy Award and Emmy nominee Sophie Okonedo and Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee David Oyelowo. They are joined by Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri, India Amarteifio, Toheeb Jimoh, and Nikki Amuka-Bird, alongside a broader ensemble of acclaimed performers.
The Esiri brothers write, direct, and produce the film. Their debut feature, Eyimofe (This Is My Desire), premiered at the Berlinale, earned multiple African Movie Academy Awards, and was later released by Janus Films before being selected for the The Criterion Collection — a rare recognition that cemented its lasting artistic significance.
Clarissa is produced alongside Theresa Park of Per Capita Productions and Nicholas Weinstock of Invention Studios, with co-producers Nina Gold and Thomas Bassett. Executive producers include Sophie Okonedo, Dolly Omodolapo Kola-Balogun, Osahon Okunbo, and Jason Reif.
Africa-Backed Financing, Global Ambition
According to Osahon Akpata, Chief Executive Officer of CANEX Creations Inc., Clarissa reflects the company’s strategic focus on globally resonant, IP-driven storytelling that remains firmly anchored on the continent.
He noted that the film’s acquisition by NEON validates both the creative ambition of its filmmakers and the growing strength of African-backed financing structures capable of supporting internationally scalable film content.
For Chuko Esiri, the film’s creative vision was inseparable from its production philosophy. From the outset, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that Clarissa was not only set in Africa but also financed and resourced there. Shooting on 35mm, he explained, was a deliberate artistic choice — an effort to create a film that feels immediate and tactile while aspiring to stand alongside the great works of modern cinema.
Production financing for filming in Nigeria was provided entirely by Africa-based institutions, led by CCInc alongside MBO Capital. The structure underscores the expanding capacity of African capital markets to support high-caliber creative projects with global reach.
The acquisition deal was negotiated by NEON’s Kate Gondwe, with UTA Independent Film Group representing the filmmakers.
Expanding Global Africa IP
The investment in Clarissa aligns with CCInc’s broader mandate to catalyze export-ready intellectual property across film, television, music, fashion, and other IP-intensive sectors. By pairing African institutional backing with international distribution pipelines, the company aims to position Global Africa storytelling not merely as culturally significant, but as commercially competitive on the world stage.
With Clarissa, that ambition appears well underway — a Lagos-set story of memory and desire poised to travel far beyond its shores.