Freedom Way is set to be released in cinemas across Nigeria on July 18, 2025, distributed by Genesis Pictures.
After making waves on the global festival circuit and clinching major accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), the much-anticipated Freedom Way is finally coming home.
Freedom Way is the brainchild of award-winning writer-producer Blessing Uzzi, under her independent production banner Bluhouse Studios.
Speaking about the journey, Uzzi shared, “It feels surreal and deeply emotional to finally have Freedom Way screen here in Nigeria. This story was born out of real observations, real pain. I wanted to hold up a mirror for viewers, to see themselves, their neighbours, and maybe find healing or at least understanding.”
The film marks Olalekan Afolabi’s directorial debut, offering a hauntingly familiar portrait of a Nigeria on the brink — wrestling with political upheaval and growing social strain.
For director Afolabi, whose personal experiences shaped his storytelling approach, the film is as much a political statement as it is a cinematic one. “I’ve lived this story in more ways than one. Millions of Nigerians have. If Freedom Way gets people to pause, reflect, and start honest conversations, then I’ll feel like we’ve done something worthwhile.”
Freedom Way is a sobering reflection on survival in turbulent times. When a cascade of unforgiving government policies sends shockwaves through an already-pressured society, nine strangers, each wrestling with their own battles, are thrust into situations that bind their fates. As their paths unexpectedly converge, they’re forced to confront their breaking points and the moral lines they’re willing to cross just to stay afloat.
The cast is led by Debo ‘Mr Macaroni’ Adedayo and Femi Jacobs, whose performances captivated AMVCA voters, winning the film Best Film and Best Writing, along with nominations for Best Sound Design, Best Music, and a Best Supporting Actor nod for Jacobs.
The cast also features stellar turns from Mike Afolarin, Bimbo Akintola, Akin Lewis, Ogranya Jable Osai, Meg Otanwa, Jesse Suntele, Teniola Aladese, and Tiwalola Adebola-Walter.
The film made its global premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2024, before travelling to AFRIFF, where it won the Jury Prize, and later screened at the New York African Film Festival and Red Sea International Film Festival. These international stops cemented Freedom Way as one of the year’s standout African films.
With its timely themes, raw performances, and evocative writing, Freedom Way promises to be more than just a film; it aims to be a reckoning.
