As a filmmaker, Daniel Oriahi has had several eras. In 2013, he came on the scene with The Misfit, a psychological thriller that showed the young director’s dark vision. It was done on a tiny budget and was little seen by the Nigerian public.
Two years later, he went big with Taxi Driver (Oko Ashewo). A semi-homage to the Martin Scorsese film, it became Oriahi’s breakout project. It ended the year as one of the biggest Nollywood movies at the box office. The following year, it earned Oriahi an invitation to the Toronto International Film Festival’s City to City programme.
Since then, he has established a production outfit and directed several films, including the well-received Sylvia. He also took up teaching for a few years at the EbonyLife Creative Academy in Lagos.
When his latest film, The Weekend, premiered a few months ago, Oriahi entered another era. And this might be his most internationally significant era. Not only does the new film come with a considerably high budget as he told the New York Times recently, it also got selected for the 2024 Tribeca Festival, where it received a world premiere.
The same film has now earned a whopping 16 nominations from the Africa Movie Academy Awards. It is the most nominated film ahead of the awards this year. It is also the most nominated film in AMAA history.
Below, the director talks to Film Efiko about The Weekend’s reception globally and nationally. He also gives the number of awards he believes The Weekend will receive when the 2024 AMAA swings around on November 2. (Hint: He gives a modest number.)
Congratulations! The Weekend is the most nominated film ahead of the 2024 AMAA ceremony. What does this mean to you as the film’s director?
Daniel Oriahi: I feel incredibly humbled and proud. It is not just because The Weekend received multiple nominations; it also holds the record for the most nominations in the history of the AMAA. That’s a lot to take in, and I’m still processing the magnitude of it.
Everything has been happening so quickly, so I plan to approach the coming days with a sense of calm. At the same time, this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication that went into making this film.
Where were you when you heard the news? Where you at the nominations event or following the announcement online?
I was just about to go to bed when a colleague called me, telling me they were watching the event. I quickly jumped into our WhatsApp group and started seeing posts about the nominations. Right after that, I headed to the AMAA Instagram page to follow the announcements directly.
Your film was at Tribeca this year and the New York Times said you were a Nigerian filmmaker looking to “elevate Nollywood thrills”…
In a way, yes. I’ve always been drawn to specific genres, particularly psychological thrillers and subversive horror. From my first feature, Misfit to Sylvia, I’ve gravitated toward exploring characters and themes that are unsettling and go against mainstream Nollywood. It was only after taking a much-needed break from being on set that I fully embraced my preferences and decided to own the identity of a filmmaker who delves into darker subject matters.
How was The Weekend received at Tribeca? How did the immediate audience at the Midnight section receive it?
It was very well received, particularly in the Midnight section. For several days, it held a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Right now, it holds an 81% score from 17 reviews. That’s a great reflection of the response.
Although many of us know you as a director, you have a production company. Where there any business lessons concerning global filmmaking that you learned while in New York?
At Tribeca, my main focus was to present myself as a filmmaker who specializes in a particular genre, and this approach paid off. I was approached by several talent agencies who were interested in my work. I’m still in talks with a few of them, and they’re eager to see what my next project will be. One key business lesson I took away is the importance of having a clear creative identity—knowing your niche helps attract the right kind of opportunities and collaborators on a global scale.
The Weekend didn’t do too well at the cinemas, which is becoming something common with Nigerian films that go to some of the most well-known global festivals. Mami Wata and Eyimofe are recent examples. Do you have a theory as to why this is the case in Nigeria?
On the contrary, The Weekend performed better than we anticipated for its genre, especially when compared to other festival films like Mami Wata and Eyimofe that screened in Nigerian cinemas. We were aware that films that tend to travel to international festivals often don’t conform to the attributes of mainstream Nollywood movies, which thrive in local cinemas. This is largely due to the unusual style and pacing of these festival films, which usually fall into the arthouse category.
When I got the brief for The Weekend, the goal was to create a film that could appeal to both festival audiences and local cinema-goers. We achieved that with our festival selections and the positive word of mouth among local audiences who truly support Nollywood films.
It’s also worth noting that The Weekend is the second film I’ve been involved in actively selling movie tickets for, and I’ve observed that many of the so-called elites who can afford cinema tickets don’t regularly patronise Nollywood films. Most would rather watch Nigerian films in the comfort of their homes, as they often expect a certain level of thrill from Hollywood films that they feel Nollywood might not deliver in cinemas.
What needs to change to make films that travel do decent business at home?
We need to recognise that, globally, films that travel often don’t perform as well at the box office as mainstream movies. However, smaller cinema chains exist in many countries that cater specifically to the dedicated audiences for festival films. Most movies that win Oscars or major festival awards are made on budgets that are just 10% of those for films that gross billions.
What could help films that travel succeed at home is consistency from filmmakers in producing such films and building a loyal following, much like Funke Akindele has done with her movies. The more filmmakers focus on creating films that can travel, the more attention these films will garner. In time, we might see smaller cinema chains in Nigeria emerge to support these kinds of films and the audiences that appreciate them.
What’s next for The Weekend? It has gone to Tribeca and is leading the list of nominees of one Africa’s most important awards. Are there any distribution deals in other regions around the world?
Those conversations are currently ongoing. The critical success and recognition The Weekend has received, especially with its 16 AMAA nominations, have definitely strengthened our position in talks with international distributors. We’re optimistic that this momentum will lead to favorable distribution deals in other regions around the world.
Your film with comedian Basketmouth has received a trailer. What can you tell us about that project?
I can’t reveal much at the moment, but I can say that the project is quite ambitious and features an unusual twist. Stay tuned—there’s a lot to look forward to!
As the year’s winds down, what’s next for Daniel Oriahi?
I might direct a TV series before the year ends. We’ll see how things unfold.
Your closest AMAA 2024 rival is South African director Jahmil X.T Qubeka, whose The Queenstown Kings earned 15 nods. How many awards do you think you will win at the AMAA 2024 ceremony?
Realistically, I believe we have a strong chance of winning at least five awards at the November 2 AMAA ceremony.
