The Weekend starring Bucci Franklin has begun streaming on HBO Max, marking a milestone for the country’s film industry as the first Nigerian thriller to debut on the global platform.
Produced by Trino Motion Pictures and directed by Daniel Oriahi, the film follows Nikiya, played by Uzoamaka Power, an orphan who visits the family of her fiancé Luke, played by Bucci Franklin. What begins as a routine introduction soon turns unsettling as she uncovers disturbing secrets within the household.
The film features an ensemble cast that includes Meg Otanwa, Keppy Ekpenyong, Gloria Anozie Young, Damilola Ogunsi and James Gardiner.
According to the report, the film has “carved a unique path through the international festival circuit, proving that Nigerian ‘Midnight’ genre films have a massive global appetite.”
The Weekend first gained international attention when it premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival in New York, becoming the first independently produced Nigerian film selected for the festival. It later screened at other festivals including the BFI London Film Festival and Screamfest in the United States.
The film also performed strongly on the awards circuit. At the Monsters Fantastic Film Festival it won the Best Film Monster Award.
In Nigeria, it recorded a major showing at the 2024 Africa Movie Academy Awards with 16 nominations and won best film, best Nigerian film, best screenplay and best cinematography.
The Weekend premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June 2024 and was released in Nigerian cinemas in August the same year.
