Prime Video sets release date for “Christmas in Lagos” starring Ayra Starr

Prime Video has released the first images for “Christmas in Lagos,” a romantic Christmas comedy from Jade Osiberu, the multi-talented star of “Gangs of Lagos,” featuring chart-topping Afrobeats sensation Ayra Starr and a star-studded cast of Nigerian pop and film stars.

The film is the first and only original to emerge from Osiberu’s groundbreaking, multi-part deal with the streaming giant, which announced earlier this year that it would pause its original productions in Africa. Osiberu confirmed To diversity that she has officially ended this deal.

Christmas in Lagos takes its cues from Love Actually, and may even include a few meet-cute scenes. Set against the backdrop of the boisterous Detty December celebrations in Lagos, the film tells a series of interconnected stories and follows four friends as they grapple with friendship, love and loss during the Christmas season.

The cast includes Teniola A. Aladese, Shalom C. Obiago, Rayxia Ojo and Shaffy Bello, with performances by some of the biggest names in Afrobeats, including 22-year-old singing sensation Starr, who diversity‘s 2024 Young Hollywood Impact Report and singer-songwriter Adekunle Gold.

In conversation with diversity Osiberu, from Lagos, said the story revolves around the “magical” Nigerian phenomenon of “Detty December,” when the country’s biggest, loudest and most vibrant city turns into a street party and celebration for a month.

“There’s a lot of family bonding at Christmas, but most of it is about the culture of these big parties, concerts and weddings,” she said. “Every day there’s a crazy event.”

The film follows recently unlucky-in-love Fiyin (Aladese), who is convinced that her best friend Elo (Obiago) is the love of her life. Trouble begins when he arrives from New York and wants to propose to his secret girlfriend Yagazie (Angel Anosike). Meanwhile, 59-year-old Gbemi (Bello) is torn between her boyfriend (Wale Ojo) of two years and an old flame and high school sweetheart (Richard Mofe Damijo).

And then there’s Ivie (Rayxia Ojo), born and raised in London, who returns to Lagos for the holidays with only one dream: to experience the most wonderful December possible. What she doesn’t expect, however, is that she will fall head over heels in love with Ajani (Ladipo).

Since it’s Lagos, the action moves to the rhythm of Nigerian Afrobeats. Osiberu explains: “If you make a Detty December film and don’t include Afrobeats, it seems very fake.”

The director and producer said she knew she had to do something big to bring that energy to the screen. “There have been Christmas movies set in Lagos before,” she said, “but no one has captured the essence of what it means to come to Lagos in December. And that’s because you can’t do that without scale.”

That meant concert scenes and lavish wedding celebrations – something Amazon executives immediately agreed to when Osiberu presented the concept to them.

“If we’re going to make a Christmas movie, let’s make it the best, biggest, most exciting Christmas movie we can make in Nigeria. So when someone sees this, they get an idea of ​​what it’s like to spend Christmas in Lagos and they want to be there,” she recalled studio bosses saying.

Achieving this also required signing top-class talent like Starr, although Osiberu said it was “not easy” to sign one of the most sought-after singers in global pop music.

“For me, Ayra Starr embodies what it means to be young and female and daring and brave and fearless – to just be yourself,” Osiberu said. “She was on the list from day one.” Other artists making cameo appearances in the film include rising stars Wurld and Liya, while the soundtrack features songs by legendary musician King Sunny Ade, Afrobeats icons Flavour and D’banj, and others.

The film is the only title to be released under Osiberu’s three-year production deal with Prime Video, ending a short-lived chapter in the streaming giant’s foray into the African market after it abruptly exited the continent earlier this year. (Amazon officials did not respond to a request for comment from diversity for updates on the company’s future Africa strategy.)

Ned Mitchell, the Los Angeles-based head of originals for Africa and the Middle East at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, hinted that Osiberus’ deal was the first of many more, saying: diversity that the company “invests in them as a talent and a magnet for other talent”.

Osiberu, who was in negotiations to produce around seven original films for Prime Video as part of her contract, spoke for the first time about the split. She said the company’s turnaround was “very disappointing, especially because it was so abrupt,” adding: “None of us saw this coming.”

News of the streaming company’s withdrawal from Africa came just two weeks before principal photography on “Christmas in Lagos” began. Osiberu and her colleagues spent two weeks worried about whether the project would be part of the collateral damage from the company’s decision. “I’m grateful that Amazon at least stuck to its commitment to finish the film,” she said.

As the creator of Nigerian box office hits “Sugar Rush” and “Isoken,” which she produced through her own label Greoh Studios, Osiberu remains no less optimistic about the future prospects of the African film industry.

“I think Africa is an exciting market. I think the African diaspora is a huge market as well, which Afrobeats has already proven,” she said. “I think you can draw a direct connection between what’s happening on the continent and broader black culture around the world.”

“As the industry and the continent grow, I suspect that not only Amazon but other retailers and platforms will rethink the space. And it’s exciting that there are other partners in this space who continue to invest.”

Osiberu also remains optimistic about Nigeria’s domestic Nollywood industry, which she praises for its “resilience.”

“There have been all sorts of seasons over the years, but Nollywood has never stopped growing,” she said. “Nollywood will survive whatever happens. We will always find a way to make our films and keep growing.”