Neon has released the official trailer for Clarissa, the Cannes breakout drama from twin-brother directing duo Arie and Chuko Esiri, ahead of its December 11 theatrical release.
A bold reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel Mrs. Dalloway, the film moves the story from 1920s London to present-day Lagos, following society woman Clarissa as she prepares to host a party at her home, where she unexpectedly reunites with friends from her youth. Over the course of one night, the group revisits memories of passionate love, hidden desire, and lost ambition, building toward a bittersweet reckoning.
The title role spans two eras and two performers. Academy Award nominee Sophie Okonedo plays Clarissa in the present, while Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story breakout India Amarteifio plays her younger self. Both drew strong critical notice following the film’s premiere in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight section, where Clarissa became only the second Nigerian feature in the festival’s history to screen there, earning a standing ovation at its debut.
The ensemble, assembled by Academy Award nominated casting director Nina Gold, includes Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo, Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri, Emmy nominee Toheeb Jimoh, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Fortune Nwafor, Jude Akuwudike, Danny Sapani, Modesinuola Ogundiwin, Kehinde Cardoso, Jable Osai, and Joke Silva, among others.
Arie and Chuko Esiri direct, with Chuko writing the screenplay, marking the brothers’ second feature following their debut Eyimofe (This Is My Desire). The film was produced by Theresa Park of Per Capita Productions and Nicholas Weinstock of Invention Studio alongside the directors, with Okonedo among the executive producers. Shot entirely in Nigeria on 35mm film, the creative team includes cinematographer Jonathan Bloom, editor Blair McClendon (Aftersun), composer Kelsey Lu, costume designer Eniola Dawodu, and production designer Hanrui Wang.
The December release places Clarissa squarely in awards season for Neon, which has won Best Picture twice in the past seven years with Parasite and Anora. The studio is coming off a strong Oscar showing this year, landing Best Picture nominations for Sentimental Value, which went on to win Best International Feature, and The Secret Agent. Its current slate also includes Fjord, Paper Tiger, All of a Sudden, and the newly announced Artificial starring Andrew Garfield.