Clarissa is a 2026 drama film directed and produced by Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri. A modern-day reimagining of the 1925 novel Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, it is set in contemporary Lagos, Nigeria and follows a high-society woman who finds herself looking back on her past when she is reunited with former friends and lovers. It stars Sophie Okonedo and India Amarteifio as the older and younger versions of the title character. The supporting cast includes David Oyelowo, Toheeb Jimoh, Jude Akuwudike, Danny Sapani, Modesinuola Ogundiwin, Chuks Joseph, Fortune Nwafor, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Joke Silva, and Ayo Edebiri.
The film had its world premiere at the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, where it was nominated for the Queer Palm. It is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 11 by Neon.
Contents
Cast
Sophie Okonedo as Clarissa
India Amarteifio as young Clarissa
David Oyelowo as Peter, Clarissa's former lover
Toheeb Jimoh as young Peter
Nikki Amuka-Bird as Sally, Clarissa's estranged friend
Ayo Edebiri as young Sally
Fortune Nwafor as Septimus, a traumatized military officer
Jude Akuwudike as Richard, Clarissa's husband
Ogranya as young Richard
Danny Sapani as Ugo, Clarissa's friend
Kehinde Cardoso as young Ugo
Modesinuola Ogundiwin as Aisha, Septimus' wife
Yasmin Dankaro as Ellie, Clarissa's daughter
Joke Silva as Lady Maryam, Ugo's boss
Chuks Joseph as Evans
Joy Sunday as Comfort
Production
Development
In August 2021, twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri revealed that they were developing a modern-day reimagining of the 1925 novel Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, set in Abraka, Delta State, and Lagos, Nigeria. The script was written by Chuko, with both brothers serving as producers and directors. Theresa Park of Per Capita Productions secured funding from Neon and invited Nicky Weinstock of Invention Studios to round off the team.
Casting
Sophie Okonedo was cast as Clarissa before the script had even been written; according to the brothers, Okonedo was the only person they envisioned in the role. Ayo Edebiri later joined the project as young Sally; with both Edebiri and Okonedo attached, the filmmakers were able to secure the interest of casting director Nina Gold, helping pave the way for the remainder of the cast to come together.
Filming
Principal photography took place in Lagos and Delta State during November and December 2025, with Jonathan Bloom serving as director of photography lensing on 35mm. Blair McLendon was the editor. Kesley Lu was the composer. The film was reportedly made for just under $5 million, with half of the financing coming from CANEX Creations, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the equity investment arm of Afreximbank, and MBO Capital, a Nigerian private equity firm. In November 2025, Neon acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film.
Release
The film had its U.S. premiere in the Main Slate of the 2026 New York Film Festival.
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 23 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.90/10. On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 85 out of 100 based on 12 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Following its Cannes premiere, the film received overwhelmingly positive reviews from outlets that included The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, and Screen Daily.