'All of a Sudden,' 'Clarissa,' 'La Gradiva,' 'The Invite' and 'Tender Loving Care' Lead Gothams Nominees variety.com/2026/film/news/g…

Congratulations to filmmakers Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri! ✨ The directing duo will receive the Breakthrough Director Award at the 9th Annual Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television for @NEON’s “Clarissa,” a reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway set in contemporary Lagos, Nigeria. The film opens in select theaters on December 11. 🏆 The 9th Annual Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television takes place Monday, November 16, 2026, in Los Angeles!  Follow @ccblackcinema for all the BTS.         #CriticsChoice #CelebrateBlackCinema #ArieEsiri #ChukoEsiri #Clarissa #NEON

🕯️20/10/20🕯️

Variety’s 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2026 Include Scribes Behind ‘Being Heumann,’ ‘Clarissa’ and ‘A Different World’ variety.com/lists/screenwrit… via @variety

A great visit from Arie & Chuko Esiri! ✨ Their new film CLARISSA, a Virginia Woolf adaptation set in contemporary Lagos, is now playing at @TheNYFF before heading to theaters in December c/o @neonrated.

Directors Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri have arrived at #NYFF64 for the U.S. Premiere of CLARISSA! The filmmakers’ previous feature, EYIMOFE (THIS IS MY DESIRE), was screened at @filmlinc as part of @NDNF in 2021!

Best of September 📚: The Intuitionist (a: Whitehead) 📽️: Dao (d: Gomis) Just Like Weather (d: Fong) Report to Mother (d: Abraham) 📺: MobLand (Paramount+) The Gilded Age (HBO Max) 🎶: Girl (Destiny’s Child) Shake It Off (Mariah Carey) Sorry - Original Demo (Beyoncé)

NEON has released the first official trailer for “Clarissa,” the second feature from Nigerian twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri, ahead of its 11 December 2026 opening in select U.S. theaters. The film reworks Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel “Mrs Dalloway” in contemporary Lagos, Nigeria, with Sophie Okonedo starring as Clarissa, a wealthy society woman preparing for a party as memories of friendships, relationships and choices from her youth return. India Amarteifio plays the younger Clarissa. The ensemble also includes David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri, Toheeb Jimoh, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Jude Akuwudike and Fortune Nwafor. “Clarissa” had its world premiere at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight on 16 May 2026. #Clarissa #NigerianCinema #AfricanCinema #NEON

Beyond thrilled to share the trailer for CLARISSA. They say third times the charm, this will be my third film score and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of such a gorgeous film Presave my rendition of Nina Simone’s “Who Knows Where The Time Goes”: kelsey-lu.ffm.to/wkwttg

The official trailer for Arie and Chuko Esiri’s ‘CLARISSA’. The film starring Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, India Amarteifio, Ayo Edebiri, Toheeb Jimoh, Ogranys, Joke Silva and Nikki Amuka-Bird will be released on the 11th of December.

The official trailer for Arie and Chuko Esiri’s ‘CLARISSA’ has been released. Starring Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, India Amarteifio, Ayo Edebiri, Toheeb Jimoh and Nikki Amuka-Bird.

“An achingly elegant piece of work.” Arie & Chuko Esiri’s CLARISSA stars Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, India Amarteifio, Ayo Edebiri & Toheeb Jimoh. Opens in NY/LA December 11. Additional cities soon.

Best of August 📚: Fludd (a: Mantel) 📽️: Call Of My Life (d: Twitch) 📺: N/A 🎶: …THUS IS WHY I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE (Saya Gray)

CLARISSA (Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri) | U.S. Premiere Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo stars in twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri’s tender adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s MRS. DALLOWAY, which transports the 1925 novel to contemporary Nigeria while retaining the spiritual essence of Woolf’s themes.

Best of July 📚: Things Fall Apart (a: Achebe) 📽️: The Odyssey (d: Nolan) 📺: Suzhal: The Vortex (Amazon Prime) 🎶: YEARNALISM (Baby Rose)

#TIFF26 North American Premiere: 💐 CLARISSA dirs. Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri

Arie and Chuko Esiri’s ‘CLARISSA’ to screen at TIFF. Starring Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo, India Amarteifio, Ayo Edebiri, Toheeb Jimoh and Nikki Amuka-Bird.

Best of June 📚: Arkadia 🎭 (a: Stoppard) The King Of Elfland's Daughter (a: Dunsay) 📽️: Spirited Away (d: Miyazaki) 📺: N/A 🎶: So Help Me God (Kelsey Lu)

NEON Sets December 11 U.S. Release for "Clarissa" NEON will open "Clarissa" in select U.S. theaters on December 11, 2026, the studio announced Wednesday. The film is the second feature from twin directors Arie and Chuko Esiri, following "Eyimofe (This Is My Desire)." It premiered as a Directors' Fortnight selection at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, becoming only the second Nigerian feature to be officially selected in its history. "Clarissa" reimagines Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway," relocating the story to Lagos. Sophie Okonedo and India Amarteifio play the title character across different decades, with Okonedo hosting a party where she reconnects with old friends over the course of one night. The cast also includes David Oyelowo, Ayo Edebiri, Toheeb Jimoh, Fortune Nwafor, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Jude Akuwudike, Danny Sapani, Modesinuola Ogundiwin, Chuks Joseph, Kehinde Cardoso, Jable Osai and Joke Silva. Casting was done by Nina Gold. Chuko wrote the script; Arie and Chuko directed together. The film was produced by Theresa Park (Per Capita Productions), Nicholas Weinstock (Invention Studio) and the Esiri brothers, and was shot entirely in Nigeria by Jonathan Bloom. In his review, AFP's Tambay A. Obenson observed that the film stylistically captures a stratum of British-Nigerian elite life that rarely reaches the screen. #Clarissa #NEON #Cannes2026 #NigerianCinema