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Nollywood’s Call of My Life Wins Audience Award at BlackStar

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Call of My Life

Call of My Life wins the Favourite Feature Narrative Audience Award at BlackStar Film Festival, adding to the Nollywood film’s growing success

Nollywood romantic comedy Call of My Life, directed by Nigerian filmmaker Dammy Twitch, won the Favourite Feature Narrative Audience Award at the 2026 BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after screening at the festival on August 7, 2026.

Also read: Rita Edochie Vows to Face Judy Austin in Court

The award gives the Nigerian production another notable international recognition and extends an impressive year for a film that has already made a strong impression with cinema audiences at home.

BlackStar Projects, organisers of the festival, selected Call of My Life for the 2026 programme, which brought together films by Black, Brown and Indigenous filmmakers from around the world. The festival ran from August 6 to 9 in Philadelphia.

The film’s recognition came through the festival’s audience award category, placing audience response at the centre of the honour rather than the jury-led competition.

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That distinction is significant for a romantic comedy whose commercial success has been driven largely by its ability to connect with mainstream viewers.

Call of My Life follows Soluchi, played by Uzoamaka Power, a call centre agent trying to recover from heartbreak after a relationship ends.

Her circumstances take an unexpected turn when a routine work call connects her with Eli, played by Andrew Yaw Bunting.

What begins as an ordinary customer interaction gradually develops into a relationship, allowing the film to explore love, vulnerability, friendship and the possibility of starting again after disappointment.

Power also wrote the screenplay, while Blessing Uzzi produced the film under BluHouse Studios.

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The cast includes Beverly Osu, Nkem Owoh, Patience Ozokwor, Zubby Michael, Broda Shaggi and Justin UG.

For Dammy Twitch, whose background is in music-video directing, the project marked a move into feature filmmaking.

His transition to cinema came after years of working in Nigeria’s music industry, where he built a reputation for visually driven productions.

The film’s festival success follows a remarkable theatrical run in Nigeria.

Released on May 15, Call of My Life quickly became one of the year’s strongest-performing Nigerian films.

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By June, it had grossed about ₦498 million across West African cinemas and had spent four consecutive weekends as the number one film at the box office.

The film subsequently crossed the ₦600 million mark, with industry reports putting its Nigerian cinema gross at more than ₦628 million by late June. That performance made it the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2026 at the time.

Its commercial performance was notable partly because the film arrived outside Nigeria’s traditional December blockbuster period.

Its success suggested that audiences were willing to turn out strongly for locally produced romantic stories when the production and marketing connected with them.

The BlackStar award adds another dimension to that success.

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Unlike a box-office ranking, an audience award reflects how viewers responded to the film in a festival setting, where films from different parts of the Black and Indigenous filmmaking community are presented to audiences with varied cultural backgrounds.

BlackStar Film Festival, founded in 2012, has developed into an important platform for Black, Brown and Indigenous filmmakers and artists.

Its programme extends beyond screenings to include conversations, exhibitions, filmmaker development initiatives and other cultural programmes.

The 2026 edition featured films from a broad international field, with the festival describing its programme as a celebration of visionary cinema from the global majority. Call of My Life was added to the official line-up in June.

The award therefore gives the Nigerian production visibility beyond its domestic commercial achievement.

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It also arrives at a time when Nollywood’s international profile continues to expand through film festivals, streaming platforms and increasingly competitive theatrical releases.

For the filmmakers behind Call of My Life, the Philadelphia recognition offers a useful bridge between commercial popularity and international cultural recognition.

The film has already demonstrated that a Nigerian romantic story can attract large cinema audiences.

Its BlackStar achievement now provides evidence that the same story can also resonate with viewers in an international festival environment.

The result is a particularly encouraging moment for Power, Twitch, Uzzi and the wider production team, whose film has moved from a successful Nigerian cinema release to an internationally recognised festival title within a few months.

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Also read: Rita Edochie Vows to Face Judy Austin in Court

For Nollywood, the award is another reminder that Nigerian films can travel beyond the domestic market when their stories find a connection with audiences at home and abroad.

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Entertainment

My Wife Knew About Actresses I Dated, Says Yinka Quadri

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Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has revealed that his wife was aware of his romantic relationships with some actresses in the industry and treated them cordially.

The actor made the disclosure in an interview on the Africanalist Podcast, where he spoke about his personal life and marriage.

Quadri said some of the actresses he dated eventually became friends with his wife, Sadiat Adenike Quadri. According to him, the women would sometimes approach her and share gossip about his relationships with other female colleagues, even though they themselves were involved with him.

“It got to a stage, I won’t mention the ladies’ names in the industry. They would become friends with my wife and start giving gossip to my wife that I am dating so so so in the industry,” he said.

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He added that jealousy sometimes arose among the women. Some of those he was dating reportedly went to his home out of jealousy, only to find that his wife already knew about the relationships.

“And there were some of them that we were dating who went home out of jealousy. Meanwhile, my wife would say she was aware already and she doesn’t fight them because of that,” Quadri said.

The actor further disclosed that some actresses occasionally spent the night at his house when movie productions ended late. He said his wife knew about the relationships and still provided food and care for them.

“Sometimes when production ends late, they would sleep in my house. And my wife is aware I am dating them, she would still feed them and everything,” he stated.

Quadri has been married to Sadiat since 1989. The couple have children and grandchildren.

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Entertainment

Prioritise Talent Over Social Media, Fisayo Abebi Tells Young Actors

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Actress and filmmaker Fisayomi Amodemaja, popularly known as Fisayo Abebi, has urged young actors to build strong personal brands and rely on their talent rather than fame or social media visibility for a sustainable career in Nollywood.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday Scoop, Abebi, who began acting as a child before moving into filmmaking and production, said having a distinct identity was essential for anyone seeking longevity in the industry.

“As an actor, you should have a brand. You should have something that makes you different. Your talent should be able to speak for you wherever your name cannot speak for you,” she said.

She also stressed the need for dedication and readiness to handle the demands of the profession.

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“Any young actor coming into the industry has to know that it is time-consuming, and you have to be fully ready to be diligent and ready for the stress,” Abebi added.

The actress reflected on her own experiences, noting that growing up in the spotlight came with pressure, particularly from being recognised for a character she played as a child.

She credited her family and friends with helping her navigate the attention and remain grounded. Her mother, she said, played a key role by helping her understand that she was separate from the character audiences associated her with.

Abebi also spoke about the challenges of combining her acting career with university education, describing it as stressful at times.

“Sometimes I might have to refund or sometimes I might have to go to the set after finishing my exam. So, that can be very stressful,” she said.

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She noted that her journey in the industry had taught her to take risks and build confidence in herself.

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Entertainment

Regina Daniels Spent Months In Wheelchair Due To Health Issues

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Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has revealed that she spent several months struggling with severe pain and mobility challenges that left her dependent on a wheelchair.

The actress shared the details in a video posted on her Instagram page on Saturday as she marked her 25th birthday, which she described as her “Silver Jubilee.”

Appearing in a wheelchair, Daniels explained that her prolonged absence from social media was due to the health difficulties.

“I know many of you may be surprised seeing me in a wheelchair. Well, welcome to another chapter of my life,” she said.

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She stated that the problem began as a minor issue but gradually became more serious, eventually limiting her freedom to move around as she pleased.

“For several months now, I lost my freedom to move around as I please. It started as something minor, very minor, but eventually led to this,” Daniels said.

According to her, the condition took a major turn after the last public gathering she hosted, a Children’s Day carnival. She said she underwent repeated medical tests during the period and joked that she had started calling herself a “lab rat.”

“The pain became excruciating. Sometimes I find myself walking well, and sometimes I just can’t move. I cried,” she added.

Despite the challenges, the actress said there had been significant developments in her recovery, which encouraged her to share the update publicly.

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“Well, me sitting here today, in front of this camera, sharing this with y’all, it’s because there’s been some really significant developments in my recovery. And I say, thank you, Lord,” she said.

Daniels did not disclose a specific diagnosis or the nature of the treatment she is receiving. She expressed gratitude to God and prayed for calm as she entered a new phase of her life.

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