With ‘Clarissa,’ Two Nigerian Brothers Are Forging an Arthouse Alternative to Nollywood
Twin brothers Chuko and Arie Esiri are making strides in Nigerian arthouse cinema with their film 'Clarissa.' They discuss how their experiences in Nigeria influenced their storytelling and filmmaking approach. The brothers aim to create a distinct narrative style that contrasts with the mainstream Nollywood industry.
- ▪Chuko and Arie Esiri premiered their film 'Clarissa' at the Cannes Film Festival.
- ▪Their previous film, 'Eyimofe,' marked a turning point in their careers and storytelling approach.
- ▪The Esiri brothers focus on the impact of Nigerian history and politics in their films.
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| Original publisher | IndieWire |
| Canonical URL | https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/clarissa-nigerian-arthouse-alternative-to-nollywood-1235195542/ |
| Publication time | Thu, 21 May 2026 21:30:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-21T21:31:35.756Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-21T21:31:35.756Z |
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Twin brothers Chuko Esiri and Arie Esiri grew up in Nigeria but left the country for their education, and until recently, both seemed headed toward careers abroad. The brothers — now pioneers of a new wave of Nigerian arthouse cinema — premiered their acclaimed new film “Clarissa” at the Cannes Film Festival and stopped by the American Pavilion, presented by IndieWire, to discuss how writing their 2020 debut feature “Eyimofe” became a turning point in their careers. “The genesis of — the kernel that led to — the writing of the first feature was I had moved from New York back to Nigeria to do my National Youth Service,” said Chuko. “My first instinct was to go back to New York.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at IndieWire.
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