Joke Silva joins Sophie Okonedo, David Oyelowo in Hollywood drama Clarissa

Veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva has been confirmed for a role in Clarissa, an upcoming American drama film directed and produced by Nigerian-British filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri.

The film is a contemporary reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s 1925 classic novel ‘Mrs Dalloway’, a modernist work that explores memory, identity, class and the passage of time. Clarissa centres on a society hostess preparing for a gathering, while confronting unresolved memories, intimate relationships and the emotional scars of her past.

The production was filmed across Lagos and Delta State, blending Nigerian urban and coastal settings with an international cast and crew in what producers describe as a cross-continental storytelling experiment.

Mrs Silva joins a strong Nigerian ensemble that includes Chioma Omeruah (popularly known as Chigul), Chuks Joseph, Ego Boyo, Norbert Young, Timi OJ, Kehinde Cardoso, Ovunda Ihunwo and Eric Emeka.

About Clarissa

‘Clarissa’ marks the Esiri brothers’ second feature film, following their critically acclaimed debut Eyimofe (This Is My Desire), which premiered at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival and screened at major festivals including Toronto and London. The brothers have since been recognised as among the most promising voices in African arthouse cinema.

The film is backed by African financing through Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme and Lagos-based MBO Capital. Neon, the US distributor behind award-winning films such as Parasite and Triangle of Sadness, is handling American theatrical distribution and international sales.

Hollywood and international stars in the cast
Clarissa also features an impressive lineup of internationally recognised actors, including Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo, Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Danny Sapani, Fortune Nwafor, Joy Sunday, Ayo Edebiri, India Amarteifio and Toheeb Jimoh.

Ayo Edebiri, best known for her Emmy-winning performance in The Bear, and India Amarteifio, who starred as Queen Charlotte in Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, bring significant global visibility to the project, while Mr Oyelowo and Ms Okonedo add heavyweight gravitas to the film’s ensemble.