Pamela Adie’s Narrative Debut Feature ìfẹ́: The Sequel Set For 2026 BFI Flare Film Festival World Premiere
- John Eriomala
- 19 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Pamela Adie's ìfẹ́: The Sequel premieres at BFI Flare 2026. Nigerian LGBTQ filmmaker's narrative debut explores queer love and identity in Lagos.
Nigerian LGBTQIA+ Filmmaker Pamela Adie’s narrative debut feature ìfẹ́: The Sequel is set to make its its world premiere on March 23, 2026 at the 40th edition of the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival. The film, which is the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2020 short ìfẹ́ will be showing at BFI Southbank, London, as one of 19 selected in the festival’s ‘Hearts’ section.
Ìfẹ́: The Sequel picks up from the events of the first film, with two women, Ife and Adaora, crossing paths again, years apart from their past passionate dalliance. Adaora has settled comfortably into domestic life with her husband, while Ife found love in South Africa. However, all of this threatens to fall apart when the pair reconnect unexpectedly at a Lagos book store. The film unfolds as an exploration of love, choice, and identity in Nigeria. It is an intimate and political look at the universal longing for connection and the courage it takes to live authentically.
The cast includes Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Gbubemi Ejeye in the lead roles, Ozzy Agu, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Adunoluwa Osilowo, and Najite Dede, with screenplay by Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim, and production by Pamela Aide’s The Equality Hub.
In a statement made available to the Black Film Wire, Pamela expressed the inspirations behind the film and her desire to tell stories of authentic queer love on screen that reflect the lives, struggles, and joys of LGBTQ+ people in Africa. “ìfé was born out of a deep desire to change stories about us being erased, misrepresented, or hidden behind coded language. I wanted to create a film that does not ask for permission to exist but boldly claims space for African queer love”, she shared.
She added, “This story is deeply personal to me. Like Adaora, I was once married to a man. I know firsthand the pressures of societal expectations, the weight of doing what is “right” in the eyes of family and culture while silently rejecting who you truly are. It took immense courage to step out of that life, to come out to my family, and to choose myself. Unlike Adaora, I didn’t have an ìfé in my story, someone to remind me that love could be freeing. But I hope ìfé serves as that voice for others.”
ìfẹ́: The Sequel is the latest in a growing number of vital Nigerian films about queer lives and experiences, with the prequel itself being Nigeria's first fully fledged lesbian film. Others include Walking with Shadows (2019), All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (2023), Hell or High Water (2016), and We Don't Live Here Anymore (2018).
ìfẹ́: The Sequel is screening at the 2026 BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival.
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