On May 19, all eyes will turn to the Palais des Festivals in Cannes as 77: The Festac Conspiracy makes its world premiere — not just as another film screening, but as a cinematic moment years in the making. Directed by the acclaimed Izu Ojukwu and produced by Adonijah Owiriwa and Tonye Princewill, 77 isn’t simply revisiting history; it’s reshaping how it’s remembered, and who gets to tell it.
Set during Nigeria’s iconic FESTAC ’77 — the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture — the film dives headfirst into the intrigue, ambition, and ideological clashes surrounding the event. For those unfamiliar, FESTAC wasn’t just a cultural festival. It was a political statement. It was a moment when Black and African voices from across the globe converged in Lagos to celebrate identity, art, and heritage, under the watchful eyes of international power structures.
What 77 does so brilliantly is take that moment and interrogate the layers beneath it. The script moves with the pulse of a thriller, pulling viewers into a suspense-filled plot that raises critical questions about power, unity, sabotage, and cultural ownership. The stakes are high — both on screen and off — and the brilliance lies in how the film balances spectacle with substance.
Featuring powerhouse performances from Ramsey Nouah and Rita Dominic, 77 is as emotionally gripping as it is politically charged. Under Ojukwu’s direction, every scene feels deliberate, cinematic, and visually rich. The film doesn’t just show Nigeria in the 1970s — it immerses you in it. From costume to setting, the production is lush with detail, offering a time capsule that feels both grand and grounded.
But beyond the aesthetics and suspense, the film is making a statement — one about how history is remembered, and by whom.
“I’ve always believed cinema is one of the most powerful ways to reclaim narrative,” said Princewill. “With 77, we didn’t just want to tell a story — we wanted to challenge the silence around a defining moment in Africa’s post-colonial history. The result is a film that speaks across generations.”
That sentiment resonates deeply, especially considering the context of its Cannes debut. For the first time ever, Nigeria is officially represented with a national pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival, and 77 is the flagship film. It’s a landmark not just for the film itself, but for an industry that has fought hard to claim its seat at the global table.
“This isn’t a coincidence,” said Kene Okwuosa, Group CEO of FilmOne Entertainment, which is handling the film’s release. “It’s a sign that our stories — when told with craft and care — are not only relevant, but deeply compelling to a global audience.”
FilmOne’s distribution strategy reflects that ambition. With plans for wide international release, the film is expected to introduce new audiences to the complexities of Nigerian history and the sophistication of contemporary African filmmaking. It’s the kind of global rollout usually reserved for Hollywood epics, and that’s precisely the point.
77 is not playing small.
It’s no secret that Nollywood — despite being the second-largest film industry in the world by volume — has long wrestled with perception. Budget constraints, rushed productions, and distribution limitations have often kept Nigerian films boxed into local markets. But over the past decade, a new generation of filmmakers and producers have been raising the bar, investing in technical quality, deeper storytelling, and cross-border collaboration. 77 stands at the pinnacle of that evolution.
What’s perhaps most exciting is how 77 manages to be so many things at once: a gripping political thriller, a historical reimagining, and a visual homage to pan-African solidarity. It’s rare to find a film that handles complexity with this kind of confidence — unafraid to provoke, while still delivering a viewing experience that feels rich, entertaining, and emotionally resonant.
Audiences at Cannes will be the first to see it. But the ripple effects are already underway.
There’s a growing sense that 77: The Festac Conspiracy will do for Nigerian cinema what films like Tsotsi and The Last King of Scotland once did for African storytelling on the global stage — shift perception, raise expectations, and open doors.
For young filmmakers across the continent, it sets a new creative standard. For audiences, it’s an invitation to witness history through a sharper, bolder lens. And for an industry that has long had the talent but not always the platform, it’s a reminder of just how powerful our stories can be when we choose to tell them our way.
