The Spectacular Death of Prisca Makes History at TIFF 2026
Nigerian short film The Spectacular Death of Prisca has made history at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), becoming the first Nigerian film to receive jury recognition in the festival’s 51-year history.
Directed by Nigerian-American filmmaker Kaelo Iyizoba, the 23-minute film received an Honourable Mention in the Best International Short Film category from TIFF’s Short Cuts jury on September 20. Greece-Netherlands co-production MAMMALIA, directed by Elia Kalogianni, won the category.
Starring Rita Dominic as Prisca, the film follows a divorced, overprotective mother whose daughter is preparing to get married. After a confrontation with her daughter, Prisca escapes into an imagined Nollywood universe, where she becomes Madam P, the leader of an all-female criminal syndicate.
The film leans into the colourful, dramatic and larger-than-life style of 2000s Nollywood, blending melodrama, action and comedy while exploring family, motherhood and identity. TIFF describes it as an “uproarious love letter” to 2000s Nollywood.
The Spectacular Death of Prisca was developed as a proof of concept for Iyizoba’s planned feature film, A Nollywood Story. The short was selected for the 2025 TIFF Directors’ Lab and helped establish the visual and tonal world of what Iyizoba calls his “Nollyverse.” Iyizoba announced its TIFF selection as the beginning of the journey towards the planned feature.
A former pharmacist and Columbia University MFA graduate, Iyizoba’s work explores identity, belonging and Nigerian experiences. He is also a Berlinale Talents fellow.
The Short Cuts jury praised the film’s combination of melodrama, action and comedy, describing it as a distinctive cinematic experience that uses heightened family dynamics in an unexpected way.
The recognition also makes The Spectacular Death of Prisca the only African title among TIFF’s 2026 award recipients and runners-up, placing Iyizoba’s distinctly Nigerian take on Nollywood storytelling on the festival’s awards list.
