Filmmaker Nora Awolowo has made history as the youngest Nollywood producer to surpass N100 million at the box office with her debut feature film Red Circle.
The film, which premiered on June 6, crossed the N100 million mark within its third week in cinemas.
Directed by Akay Mason and written by Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, Red Circle was produced by Nora’s Rixel Studios in collaboration with Tijani-Ahmed.
Red Circle tells the story of investigative journalist Fikayo Holloway, played by Folu Storms, whose probe into corruption leads her into a deadly criminal network.
The film features a star-studded cast including Bukky Wright, Lateef Adedimeji, Timini Egbuson, Tobi Bakre, Femi Branch, Omowunmi Dada, Mr Macaroni and rapper Ruggedman.
The film earned N33.8 million in its opening weekend and N74.5 million by the end of its second week, before hitting N101.8 million in the third week. It is currently among the highest-grossing Nollywood titles of 2025.
Speaking on the project’s commercial success, Moses Babatope of FilmOne Entertainment, the film’s distributor, said: “This film is a testament to the value of supporting new voices. Nora brought a clear vision and proved that audiences respond to bold storytelling.”
Born and raised in Lagos, Nora studied accounting at Ekiti State University before pursuing a career in photography and film. She gained recognition with her award-winning documentary work before transitioning into feature filmmaking.
In interviews, Nora has spoken about the challenges of working in Nollywood, from logistics to lack of infrastructure. She stressed the need for government investment in sound stages, studio spaces and film villages to help the industry grow.
Despite the hurdles, she said Nigerian filmmakers are doing well with the little they have. “Imagine what we’d do with more,” she said.
The film is currently on an international screening tour, with premieres already held in cities like Birmingham, Streatham, Manchester and Greenwich. Plans are underway for a North American release.
At 26, Nora Awolowo is now being celebrated as a trailblazer for young and emerging talents in the Nigerian film industry.
