Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, Doris Ariole, has recorded another major international milestone after her latest productions secured a combined 16 nominations at the 2026 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF).
The nominations were earned through a collaboration between Ariole’s Hadassah Brand and the United States-based Kaemedia Networks, led by American media executive, Kady Edwards-Campbell. Their two faith-based productions, Unboxing Love and Not Letting Us Go, will compete across multiple categories at one of North America’s leading festivals celebrating Nollywood and African cinema.
The achievement adds to Ariole’s growing reputation as one of the filmmakers championing faith-inspired storytelling on the global stage.
Two Films, 16 Nominations and a World Premiere
According to the festival’s nomination list, Unboxing Love received 10 nominations and will make its world premiere during the festival. Meanwhile, Not Letting Us Go earned six nominations after already attracting significant audience engagement on YouTube.
The Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival is scheduled to take place from September 4 to 12, 2026, bringing together filmmakers, actors and creatives from across the African film industry and the diaspora.
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Reacting to the announcement, Ariole described the nominations as a recognition of years of dedication to producing films that meet international production standards while remaining rooted in stories of hope and purpose.
She explained that although many describe her productions as Christian films, she prefers to call them “Kingdom stories” because they focus on universal themes such as love, healing, grace and hope rather than promoting religious divisions.
According to Ariole, the stories are designed to connect with audiences from every background, offering meaningful entertainment without condemning people of different beliefs.
Redefining Faith-Based Storytelling
Ariole believes faith-based films have evolved significantly and can compete with mainstream productions on both storytelling and technical quality.
She noted that Hadassah Productions has intentionally invested in world-class filmmaking to challenge the long-held perception that faith-based movies are technically inferior.”
Our benchmark has always been international excellence,” she said, adding that the goal has always been to create productions capable of competing on major global platforms.
The collaboration with Edwards-Campbell also reflects a broader effort to blend Nollywood’s storytelling strengths with Hollywood-level production values, creating films that appeal to audiences beyond Africa.
For many industry observers, the growing recognition of projects like Unboxing Love and Not Letting Us Go signals increasing international interest in Nigerian stories that explore faith, family and human relationships through high-quality filmmaking.
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Building an International Legacy
The latest recognition continues Ariole’s impressive run on the international festival circuit. Since 2016, her films have received selections and nominations at festivals across North America while also earning recognition at home, including nominations at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
She maintains that the latest TINFF achievement is not only a personal milestone but also evidence that Nigerian faith-based cinema is finding a place on the global stage.
As anticipation builds ahead of the September festival, both films are expected to introduce even more international audiences to Ariole’s distinctive storytelling style while strengthening the growing collaboration between Nollywood and global film industries.
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