Tolu Ajayi’s debut feature, Over the Bridge, will open in Nigerian cinemas on September 5, 2025.
The psychological thriller, which earned multiple nominations and a win at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), has spent nearly two years on an international festival circuit.
In an exclusive interview with The Nollywood Reporter, screenwriter Tosin Otudeko revealed that the story was inspired by a moment of reflection while driving across Lagos’ Third Mainland Bridge. “I started to imagine a man who, due to some events in his life, was living an alternate life on the other side of the bridge from where he lived. That is what sparked the idea ‘Over the Bridge,’” she said.
Produced by Bose Oshin and written by Otudeko under The Garden Theatre Company, the film follows Folarin, an investment banker whose life spirals after a high-profile project scandal. As he disappears to confront his inner turmoil, his wife is left to navigate his absence while the world around them continues to shift.
Ozzy Agu, a 2025 Berlinale Talent, leads the ensemble cast, which includes Segilola Ogidan, Joke Silva, Akin Lewis, Deyemi Okanlawon, Chimezie Imo, and the late Sola Onayiga.
After its world premiere in the UK in 2023, Over the Bridge toured major festivals, including the New York African Film Festival, Afrikaldia Basque African Film Festival in Spain, and the Seattle Black Film Festival. It also screened at AFRIFF in Lagos and recently played in Kenyan and Rwandan cinemas through Screen Connect.
Distributed locally by Nile Entertainment, the film’s Nigerian release marks a long-awaited homecoming for a story critics have praised for its exploration of ambition, emotional fracture, and mental health.