Inspired by the famous British novel Mrs Dalloway, “Clarissa”, the new film by twin brothers and directors Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri, presented at the Filmmakers’ Fortnight in Cannes, delves into the striking contrasts of contemporary Nigeria.
The film depicts a Lagosian high society, educated abroad, moving between luxury, refinement and Nigerian singularity, while in the background, the north of the country continues to suffer from the recurring violence of the jihadist group Boko Haram.
For their second feature film, the directors weave a story around the intertwined destinies of Clarissa and her seamstress's husband, a soldier who has returned from the north after fighting Boko Haram. Traumatized by the war, suffering from post-traumatic stress, and deeply disillusioned by the corruption of his superiors, he embodies the invisible wounds of a conflict that has lasted for nearly two decades.
As Chuko Esiri explains, this social divide is part of a broader context of profound economic inequalities: “In many developing countries, we are seeing the gradual disappearance of the middle class, giving way to a society increasingly divided between two extremes. Everything is becoming unstable, like the currency whose value fluctuates constantly. Individual wealth can collapse abruptly before rising just as quickly.”
One of the tragedies highlighted by the film lies in the emotional distance between the different realities of the country. "Nigeria, as an idea and a political construct, remains deeply marked by its colonial legacy," the filmmaker explains. "Meanwhile, in the south, in Lagos, this reality seems almost distant, as if it doesn't affect daily life."
This disconnect is illustrated by a striking comparison: "It's a bit like watching a war unfold in Iraq from the UK: it seems to be happening somewhere else. Yet here, it's not a distant conflict. It's your neighbors, your community, your own country that are affected."
Like their acclaimed debut film, Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) , the Esiri brothers incorporate elements of everyday Nigerian life into "Clarissa," such as the frequent power cuts, which Chuko Esiri describes as "a daily phenomenon" in Nigeria.
With "Clarissa" , the second African film to garner an enthusiastic reception at Cannes this year after Congo Boy , the Esiri brothers offer a subtle and poignant look at the fractures of a country divided between privilege, colonial memory and contemporary violence.
