Vanessa Obioha
Finally, the award-winning ‘Freedom Way’ will be screened in cinemas across Nigeria on July 18, 2025.
Written and produced by Blessing Uzzi through her company, Bluhouse Studios, and directed by Olalekan Afolabi, the movie is a gripping portrait of survival, ambition, and consequence in a society under strain. As a wave of harsh government policies disrupts everyday life, nine strangers find themselves caught in the middle. As pressure mounts, their lives begin to intersect in unexpected ways, forcing each of them to confront what they’re willing to risk to survive.
“It feels really good, surreal, for Freedom Way to finally be screening in Nigerian cinemas,” said Uzzi, who won the AMVCA award for writing the film. “I’m excited to see how people receive it here, where it matters most.”
Uzzi began writing the film after witnessing events similar to those it depicts. “It felt like a way to process what I saw, but more than that, I believed others could see themselves in it. I wanted it to be relatable, to resonate.”
Making his directorial feature debut, Afolabi described ‘Freedom Way’ as deeply personal. “It’s an important story. I’ve been in similar situations like we have in the film and I’m certain that millions of Nigerians can relate to these situations,” he said. More than anything, he hopes the film gets people talking. “I want it to inspire conversations. If it does that, then we’ve done our job.”
After a world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2024, ‘Freedom Way’ went on to screen at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), where it won the Jury Prize, as well as at the New York African Film Festival and Red Sea International Film Festival.
It continued its streak of recognitions at the 2025 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) where it won Best Film and Best Writing. It also received nominations for Best Sound Design, Best Music, and Best Supporting Actor for Jacobs.
‘Freedom Way’ is distributed by Genesis Pictures.
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