Damilola Orimogunje’s Dear Ajayi Selected as Nigeria’s 2027 Oscars Entry
Dear Ajayi, the second feature film from Nigerian filmmaker Damilola Orimogunje, has been selected as Nigeria’s official submission for the 2027 Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category.
The selection comes shortly after the film made history as the first Nigerian film to premiere at Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori) during the Venice Film Festival, where it received two awards: the Bisato d’Oro for Best Cast & Performances and the CICT-UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Prize (Fellini Medal).
The Venice premiere marked a major international milestone for Dear Ajayi, introducing audiences to an intimate story exploring family, womanhood, grief, ambition, desire and the complicated bonds that hold people together.
Following Venice, the film opened in select Nigerian cinemas on 18 September, ahead of a wider release on 13 November through FilmOne Distribution. Its festival journey also continues, with screenings at Jali Weekender and Film Africa confirmed.
Set in 1990s Southwestern Nigeria, Dear Ajayi follows estranged sisters Ade and Titi Ajayi, whose sharply different approaches to life create a growing rift between them. Ade, a devout Christian and nurse, is the family’s sole breadwinner, while Titi is an aspiring singer pursuing recognition and independence through music. Their already fragile relationship is further complicated by marriage, artistic ambition, betrayal and the expectations placed upon women within their society.
Directed by Damilola Orimogunje and produced by 2o9ine Films, in co-production with Mayana Films, Depth and Optics Productions and Zynox Productions, Dear Ajayi continues Orimogunje’s exploration of culturally specific stories with universal emotional resonance.
Orimogunje previously directed For Maria: Ebun Pataki, which won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Film Africa. He also produced All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White, which premiered in the Berlinale Panorama and went on to win the Teddy Award for Best Feature.
Speaking about the Oscar submission, Orimogunje said: “Making Dear Ajayi has been an incredibly personal journey. The film examines the beauty and fragility found in small moments, the complexities of female agency, and the quiet resilience required to pursue a life of one’s own. To have it represent Nigeria on this stage, following such a meaningful experience in Venice, is an honour. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who believed in the film and helped bring it to life.”
According to the Academy’s official timetable, preliminary voting will take place from 7–11 December 2026, with the shortlist announced on 15 December 2026.
Nomination voting will follow from 11–15 January 2027, before the nominees are announced on 21 January 2027. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on 14 March 2027.
Nigeria’s previous entry in the International Feature Film category was Prince Daniel’s Mai Martaba, submitted for the 2025 Academy Awards, though it did not advance to the shortlist.
Under new Academy rules, International Feature Film nominees will now be credited to the films themselves rather than their submitting countries, with the director accepting the award on behalf of the film’s creative team.
Source: thebritishblacklist.co.uk
