Nigerian Filmmaker Kaelo Iyizoba Makes TIFF History With Rita Dominic’s ‘The Spectacular Death of Prisca’

Nigerian filmmaker Kaelo Iyizoba has made history at the Toronto International Film Festival after his short film The Spectacular Death of Prisca, starring Nollywood actress Rita Dominic, received an Honourable Mention in the Best International Short Film category at TIFF 2026.

The recognition makes Iyizoba the first Nigerian filmmaker to receive a jury honour for a short film at the festival. The 23-minute film was written and directed by Iyizoba and stars Rita Dominic alongside Genoveva Umeh, Fae Olumide and Shamz Garuba. Dominic also serves as executive producer.

The film follows Prisca, an overprotective mother who embarks on an unusual mission to rescue her daughter on her wedding day. Blending melodrama, comedy and action, the project draws inspiration from the colourful and exaggerated storytelling associated with 1990s and early-2000s Nollywood while presenting it through a contemporary visual style.

The TIFF jury recognised the film for its combination of melodrama, action and comedy. It was also the only African title among the festival’s award recipients and runners-up, giving the recognition added significance for Nigerian cinema on the international festival circuit.

For Iyizoba, the short film is also connected to a larger project. The Spectacular Death of Prisca was developed as a proof of concept for A Nollywood Story, a feature film he has been developing. Rather than simply creating a preview, Iyizoba crafted a standalone story designed to demonstrate the tone and visual world of the planned feature.

Iyizoba studied pharmacy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, before pursuing filmmaking and later studying at Columbia University. His previous projects include The Lost Village, Boy Meets Girl and Before We Fall Asleep. He also participated in TIFF’s Directors’ Lab in 2025 before returning this year with his film in the Short Cuts programme.

Rita Dominic’s involvement has also been central to the project, with Iyizoba drawing on her experience as one of Nollywood’s established performers to help capture the spirit of the era that inspired the film.

Following its TIFF appearance, the film is expected to continue its festival run before eventually becoming available to Nigerian audiences. For Iyizoba, the recognition marks a significant step in his effort to present Nigerian stories and Nollywood’s distinctive cinematic style to international audiences.