Clarissa reimagines Wolfe’s Mrs. Dalloway, a novel that follows a day in the life of fictional upper-class woman Clarissa Dalloway in 1920s England.
By Adedamola Jones Adedayo
Nigeria filmmakers and twin brothers Arie and Chuko Esiri are set to make their sophomore feature, Clarissa, an adaptation of English writer Virginia Wolfe’s 20th-century novel, Mrs. Dalloway.
Shot on 35mm film in Lagos and Delta, Clarissa explores longing and romance between two individuals, including flashbacks to their childhood in Abraka, Delta State, that evoke the notion of missed destinies. It tells the story of a Lagos socialite who organises an event that brings together once-intimate friends, leading them to confront memories of complex relationships and aspirations. The film reimagines Wolfe’s Mrs. Dalloway, a novel that follows a day in the life of fictional upper-class woman Clarissa Dalloway in 1920s England.
British-Nigerian and Oscar-nominated actress Sophie Okonedo (known for her role in Hotel Rwanda) stars as the titular protagonist, with the cast also including David Oyelowo (Selma), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear, Opus), India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story) and Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso), among others.
The Esiri brothers marked their directorial feature debut with Eyimofe: This Is My Desire, a 2020 film that premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival. The film also won Best Nigerian Film and Best First Feature Film by a Nigerian Director at the 2021 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) and Best Feature Narrative at the 2021 BlackStar Film International, the United States of America.
Nigerian film critic Vivian Nneka, reviewing Eyimofe for Afrocritik, praised the film’s realism, its acute representation of Lagos life and japa dreams, noting the brothers’ reflection of “the desire to escape a system that seems to offer nothing but readily takes away everything instead”.
In an interview with Afrocritik, the Esiri brothers expressed and justified their interest in telling relatable Nigerian, as seen with Eyimofe, which reflects deeply on migration from West Africa, detailing emotions of joy and sorrow that surround the experience. With Clarissa underway, the filmmaking duo are poised to unveil another story rooted in Nigerian society despite seeking inspiration from British literature.
Africa-based Afreximbank’s CANEX Creations Inc. (CANEX) funded the production of Clarissa in Nigeria. The film has been acquired for distribution by American independent film production and distribution company Neon. Details about the release, however, remain unknown.
The screenplay of Clarissa is credited to Chuko Esiri, while the film is produced and directed by the Esiri brothers, in conjunction with international producing partners Nicholas Weinstock for Invention Studios and Theresa Park for Per Capita Productions. Credited as executive producers are Dolly Omodolapo Kola-Balogun, Osahon Okunbo, Jason Reif and Sophie Okonedo.