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Clarissa Trailer Reimagines Virginia Woolf’s
Mrs. Dalloway
in Lagos
NEON has released the first trailer for Clarissa, a new drama that transports Virginia Woolf’s celebrated novel Mrs. Dalloway from 1920s London to contemporary Lagos, Nigeria.
Directed by Nigerian twin filmmakers Arie and Chuko Esiri, Clarissa stars Sophie Okonedo in the title role, alongside Ayo Edebiri, David Oyelowo, India Amarteifio, Toheeb Jimoh, Nikki Amuka-Bird and Fortune Nwafor.
The film follows Clarissa, a prominent Lagos society woman preparing to host an important gathering. As she moves through the preparations, an unexpected reunion with people from her past forces her to confront memories, relationships and choices that have continued to shape her life.
The story moves between Clarissa’s present and her younger years, with Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story star India Amarteifio portraying the younger version of the character.
The trailer introduces the complicated relationships at the heart of the story, including Clarissa’s connection with Peter, played by David Oyelowo in the present-day timeline. Toheeb Jimoh portrays the younger Peter, while Ayo Edebiri plays young Sally. Nikki Amuka-Bird takes on the role of Sally in the present.
The film also retains one of the central parallel narratives from Woolf’s novel through Fortune Nwafor’s Septimus, a young soldier struggling with the psychological effects of war. His story provides another perspective on trauma, class and the passage of time.
Shot entirely in Nigeria on 35mm film, Clarissa features cinematography from Jonathan Bloom and an original score by Kelsey Lu. The soundtrack also incorporates Nina Simone’s “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.” The film was made in both English and Nigerian Pidgin.
Written by Chuko Esiri, the movie offers a contemporary interpretation of Woolf’s 1925 novel while placing its themes of memory, desire, regret and social expectations within a distinctly Nigerian setting.
Clarissa premiered during the 2026 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight before screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is also set to screen at festivals including the Melbourne International Film Festival, where it received its Australian premiere.
NEON is scheduled to release Clarissa in select U.S. cinemas on December 11, 2026.
