Women filmmakers stole the spotlight at the 2026 edition of the Nollywood in Hollywood showcase in Los Angeles, highlighting the growing global influence of female storytellers in Nigeria’s film industry.
Women directors dominated this year’s Nollywood in Hollywood film showcase in Los Angeles, with three female-directed films headlining the event held during Women’s History Month.
The annual showcase, founded in 2018 by Nigerian-American filmmaker Ose Oyamendan, is designed to strengthen cultural exchange and create collaboration between Nollywood and the global film community.
According to Operations Director Maceo Willis, the 2026 edition—held in partnership with the American Cinematheque, the USC School of Cinematic Arts and O2A Media—felt like a “rebirth,” despite visa challenges faced by some filmmakers.
The festival opened on March 6 at the Aero Theatre with the red-carpet premiere of Stitches, directed by British-Ghanaian filmmaker Shirley Frimpong-Manso.
Nollywood star Dakore Egbuson-Akande, who featured in the film, described returning to the showcase as a full-circle moment.
She recalled attending the very first edition in 2018 with Isoken, saying coming back in 2026 with Stitches felt like “a dream unfolding in real time.”
The showcase also screened When Nigeria Happens, directed by Ema Edosio-Deelen, and To Adaego With Love, directed by Nwamaka Chikezie, both of which drew enthusiastic audiences while exploring the realities of filmmaking in Nigeria.
Beyond film screenings, the event highlighted the power of diaspora-led initiatives in promoting Nigerian cinema on the global stage.
Among notable guests were Los Angeles City Council member Curren D. Price Jr., Pan African Film and Arts Festival founder Ayuko Babu, festival programming director Asantewa Olatunji, and Nigerian-American community leader Richard Omordia.
Price praised the role of storytelling in bridging cultures, noting that the showcase continues to open doors for the diaspora while celebrating the power of film.
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