Esiri Brothers Secure Canex Partnership and Global Neon Deal for ‘Clarissa’

CANEX Creations Inc. (CCInc), the intellectual property investment arm backed by Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), has announced its investment in the Nigerian-produced feature film Clarissa, directed by Arie and Chuko Esiri. Production financing was provided in full by CCInc alongside MBO Capital.

Ahead of its wide release, the film has been acquired for worldwide distribution by U.S. studio NEON, which will oversee theatrical release in the United States, with NEON International handling foreign sales.

The structure of the deal is significant. Unlike many large-scale African productions that rely on foreign grants or external co-financing, 'Clarissa' was financed entirely by Africa-based institutions before being picked up by a major American distributor.

Clarissa is a contemporary reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, relocated to high-society Lagos. The story unfolds over the course of a single day as Clarissa prepares to host an evening gathering at her home. As guests arrive, encounters with once-intimate friends reopen questions of love, ambition, memory, and missed opportunities.

The film was shot entirely on 35mm in Lagos and Delta State, a technical choice that reflects the filmmakers’ commitment to cinematic craft.

Academy Award and Emmy nominee Sophie Okonedo stars alongside Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee David Oyelowo and Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri. They are joined by India Amarteifio (Bridgerton), Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Knock at the Cabin), and a wider ensemble of established performers.

Arie and Chuko Esiri wrote, directed, and produced the film, building on the momentum of their debut feature Eyimofe (This Is My Desire). That film premiered at the Berlinale and won multiple African Movie Academy Awards.

For CANEX Creations Inc., the project represents more than a single film investment; It serves as an example of what the company describes as Africa-backed financing structures for internationally scalable content.

Osahon Akpata, Chief Executive Officer of CCInc, said the acquisition validates both the creative ambition of the filmmakers and the commercial viability of continent-led funding.

Production financing for filming in Nigeria was provided entirely by Africa-based institutions, led by CCInc alongside MBO Capital. The model positions African capital not as supplementary funding, but as the primary driver of development and production.

For the Esiri brothers, continental backing was central to the project’s intent.

He added that the decision to shoot on 35mm was deliberate, with the aim of creating a film that would stand alongside contemporary international cinema in both form and ambition.

NEON’s acquisition places 'Clarissa' within a distribution network known for championing international and auteur-driven films. The studio has handled Oscar-winning and Palme d’Or-winning titles, including Parasite, Anatomy of a Fall, and Anora.

The deal was negotiated by NEON’s Kate Gondwe, with UTA Independent Film Group representing the filmmakers.

For CCInc, the partnership reflects a broader mandate to commercialise African intellectual property with clear export pathways. With African institutions financing production and a major U.S. studio leading global distribution, 'Clarissa' stands as both a literary adaptation and a test case for a financing model that keeps ownership and capital anchored on the continent while accessing international markets.

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