Nigerian filmmaker Chinazaekpere Chukwu is set to make her feature directorial debut on an international festival platform, with her drama Her Daughters’ Mother selected for Film Africa 2026 in London. The 110-minute film is scheduled to screen on 28 October at EbonyLife Place London. .
Set against the cultural backdrop of Benin City, Nigeria, the film follows Ejiro, a woman married off at 16 who returns home in her thirties as a widow raising two daughters. Seeking a more secure future for her children, she enters a second marriage that becomes increasingly difficult when her husband demands a male heir.
The story also follows Ejiro’s eldest daughter, Ejaita, a teenager who dreams of becoming a doctor while struggling with her mother’s protectiveness. Through their relationship, the film examines women’s autonomy, motherhood, sacrifice and the pressures imposed by family and societal expectations, including the preference for male children.
The production features Ejovwoke Obas Olikuntuyi as Ejiro, alongside Osas Okonyon, Philip Asaya, Najite Dede and Adeoluwa Akintoba. Filmed in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Urhobo and Bini, the project draws on the region’s cultural and linguistic identity. Chukwu wrote the screenplay with Sunday Melvin Iwinosa, based on a story by Efosa Ogbomo.
Produced by One Child Grace Studio in association with C.A.N.O Productions, Uncut Gem Productions and Nka Pictures, the film follows Chukwu’s earlier work in short films and television. She previously received the Best Director award at the EbonyLife Creative Academy for A Psalm for Abigail, while her short film Ti e Nbo screened at the Africa International Film Festival in 2023.
For Nigeria’s film industry, the selection highlights the role of international festivals in bringing locally rooted stories to audiences abroad and providing visibility for emerging filmmakers. Film Africa, presented by the Royal African Society, offers a platform for African cinema in the UK, connecting filmmakers and their work with international audiences.
The film’s London screening represents an opportunity to introduce Chukwu’s work to a wider audience while demonstrating how stories grounded in specific Nigerian communities can engage with broader conversations about gender, family and personal freedom.
