Sophie Okonedo Says Taking ‘Clarissa’ From Nigeria To Cannes Made Her Cry Tears Of Joy; Directors Arie and Chuko Esiri Are “Very Singular With Their Vision”
Sophie Okonedo expressed overwhelming joy upon learning that her film Clarissa, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway set in Lagos, was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Nigerian siblings Arie and Chuko Esiri, the film marks Okonedo's first time at Cannes and a significant milestone for Nigerian cinema. The project, which took years to finance and produce, was praised for its unique vision and cultural reimagining.
- ▪Sophie Okonedo stars in Clarissa, a reimagining of Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway set in contemporary Lagos.
- ▪The film was directed by Nigerian siblings Arie and Chuko Esiri and shot on 35mm with mostly a Nigerian crew.
- ▪Clarissa was selected for the Cannes Film Festival's Directors’ Fortnight, marking a major achievement for the filmmakers and Nigerian cinema.
- ▪The project began during the pandemic and faced significant funding and production challenges before completion.
- ▪Producers including Theresa Park helped secure financing after Okonedo committed to the role without initial funding.
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Sophie Okoneno NEON Oscar nominated for Hotel Rwanda, Sophie Okonedo comes to Directors’ Fortnight with Clarissa, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel Mrs. Dalloway directed by Nigerian siblings Arie and Chuko Esiri. Okonedo stars as the title character — Clarissa is the heroine’s Christian name — and the story follows a day in the life of this society woman as she plans a dinner party. The kicker here is that the Esiri brothers have shifted Woolf’s very British period tale to Lagos, with key sections in a contemporary setting. Here, Okonedo reveals how she broke down in tears when she heard that the film had been accepted.
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