Lady, WED 9.9, 9 PM – Alō

Opening Film – Nordic Premiere

Lady, WED 9.9, 9 PM – Alō

Fiction, 2026, United Kingdom, Nigeria

Director and screenwriter: Olive Nwosu
Running time: 1 h 33 min
Themes: Lagos, friendship, sex work
Languages: English and Nigerian Pidgin; subtitles not confirmed
Age rating: 12

The opening film of the Karhupuisto Film Festival takes us to Lagos, Nigeria—a vast metropolis with as many as 20 million inhabitants. Lady, one of the city’s few female taxi drivers, races through its dusty streets.

Having built a tough shell around herself, Lady is saving money so she can leave the metropolis behind for good. Her old friend Pinky re-enters her life as a sex worker and persuades Lady to become the driver for her close-knit group of friends in the industry. Lady’s suspicions begin to fade as she comes to see herself and her past in a new light.

Director Olive Nwosu has described Lagos as a city of blinding sunlight and deep shadows. Lady grew out of Nwosu’s desire to reconnect with the city where she spent her childhood after studying in New York and moving to London. In preparation for the film, she spent months walking through Lagos and speaking with real sex workers.

Despite a remarkable lead performance by Nigeria’s Jessica Gabriel Ujah, Lady is above all an ensemble film. Its cast of fresh new talents received a collective acting award at Sundance, where the film had its world premiere in January.

The film will also have a second screening at the festival: Lady, MON 7.9, 7:30 PM – Tent

Secure your seat now!

🎟️ Ticket categories:

• Festival Ticket – €15
  Standard admission to one screening. Your purchase supports the production of the event.

• Patron Ticket – €25
  Would you like to support the festival further? Choose a Patron Ticket and help secure the event’s future.

• Solidarity Ticket – €10
  For students, unemployed people, pensioners, and other discount groups.

We will also organise free public screenings at Karhupuisto, Bar Tÿpo, Kallio Library, and Suvilahti DIY.