The classification of a film—whether by adjective or noun—is an incredibly slippery task. At the advent of cinema, a film was merely a sequence of still images, simulating motion. And so, the language used to describe fine art—surrealism, expressionism,impressionism—was repurposed, powdered, corseted, and re-robed to christen this artistic newborn called "film."

But as cinema diversified—becoming less Chaplin, more Nolan—it grew increasingly difficult to confine a film to a single descriptive category. Still, the purpose of this essay is to explore how Nigerian cinema has functioned as a lens into the nation's belief systems and socio-political realities, while also categorizing its major cinematic epochs into three distinct artistic modes: Minimalist-Realist, Surrealist-Expressionist, and Rococo-Esque.

Each epoch draws from its contemporary societal realities and, in turn, redefines them—a self-consuming, self-healing ouroboros of culture and narrative.

Nollywood: A Mirror of the Nigerian Psyche

Commonly used as a colloquial term, Nollywood refers to Nigeria’s film industry. Like many national cinemas, it serves as a reliable mirror of the country's socio-political landscape.

Over the decades, it has offered rich commentary on themes such as suffering, wealth, spirituality, success, and moral identity. What sets Nollywood apart from other indigenous Nigerian film industries is its perceived universality: it functions as a national stage where stories are told and consumed across ethnic, linguistic, and regional boundaries. In Nollywood, everyone performs—and everyone watches.

While not speaking from an academic standpoint, I contend that Nigerian cinema can be broadly divided into three significant epochs:

1950s–Late 1970s: The Golden Era

Often referred to as the Golden Era of Nigerian cinema, influenced by British colonial legacies, films in this period presented a hybrid of African traditions and British values, delivered through theatrical storytelling, humor, soliloquies, and moral exposition.

Celebrated for its theatrical depth and cultural ambition, the era has also faced criticism for presenting a somewhat elitist image of Nigeria, one often aligned with upper-class or colonial sensibilities.

It raises the question: was the term Golden ascribed to this era because of its artistic merit, or because of its alignment with colonial systems and their lingering influence on cultural production?

Unapologetically didactic, directors such as Hubert Ogunde, Chief Amata, and Baba Sala shaped the style of this time.

A strong example is Kongi’s Harvest(1970s), adapted from Wole Soyinka’s play. It follows a dictator navigating modernization while yearning to lead a sacred New Yam Festival—a film concerned more with internal and societal conflicts than with visual spectacle.

Fincho (1957), directed by Sam Zebba, is the first scripted Nigerian feature in color. It explores themes like industrialization, tradition, and modernization,

Cinematically, this era favored linear plots, static angles, documentary-like transitions, and minimal editing, bearing a realist-minimalist signature.

Realist Minimalism is an artistic approach that focuses on depicting subjects and scenes with clarity and authenticity but pares down visual elements to the essentials—stripping away unnecessary detail, decoration, or complexity. This style emphasizes clean composition, sparse settings, and subtle gestures or expressions, allowing the core reality of the subject to emerge through quiet, focused observation.

Late 1980s–Early 2000s: The VHS Era

Image Above: Expressionist Painting By Edward Munch, The Scream

Image Above: Billionaires Club

The rise in availability of VHS tapes gave rise to something extraordinary across Africa. Almost anyone could give others a window into their minds, in the name of scriptwriting.

The VHS Nollywood era (late 1980s–early 2000s) has often been ridiculed by younger audiences for its “low-budget” aesthetics. Yet, much like Dallas Buyers Club famously achieving Oscar-winning makeup on a $100 budget, these films showcased determination, creativity, and deep cultural discussion.

Whether the surreal special effects were intentional or subconscious expressions of shared psychological states, they told stories that resonated with millions.

The growth of religiosity, coupled with socioeconomic instability, bred a cinematic culture fixated with spirits, curses, and prosperity. This era’s films were often set against the backdrop of the “health-and-wealth” gospel, a school of thought that equated divine favor with material wealth. The spiritual world was not just metaphorical—it was a lived reality, and so it permeated every frame.

Visual effects featured shape-shifting characters reminiscent of early GTA avatars, humanoid chickens, talking fufu, and demonic in-laws. These absurdities are, in essence, expressions of psychological torment—a hallmark of surrealist-expressionist cinema.

Expressionism emphasizes internal experience over external reality, using dramatic lighting, abstract sets, and emotional exaggeration. In VHS Nollywood, similar results were achieved through erratic sound effects, distorted audio-visual cues, and intense performances.

Perfect examples of these are End of the Wicked(1999), Diamond Ring, Living In Bondage(1993), and Billionaires Club(2003).

VHS Nollywood was not escapism; it was the metaphorical embodiment of Nigerians’ daily fears, which are poverty, betrayal, and moral failure.

Campus Chaos and Femme Fatales

It would be disingenuous to ignore Nollywood’s foray into exploitation genres, especially in campus-set films. Here, youth are portrayed as corrupted by wealth, drugs, prostitution, and occultism.

While foreign exploitation films thrived on overt violence and sexuality, Nigerian cinema often enforced moral conclusions: the sinner must repent or perish.

Think Girls Cot—stories of young women using prostitution and cunning to survive and thrive in a patriarchal society.

As for the vices popular with males, the “bad boy” archetype often revolved around cult members, armed robbers or rambunctious returnees from “The States”.

With regard to the Femme Fatale trope, women were often portrayed as conduits of spiritual power. This translates to women using that power either to secure a man’s success or to destroy him. Female characters who stepped outside of the virtues of meekness and religious fervor usually met watery ends—sometimes quite literally, as they were often revealed to be from the aquatic underworld(marine kingdom)

2010s–Present: The Glamorous Aspirational Streaming Era

Marked by the rise of digital platforms, this era showcases a glossy, high-production-value Nollywood that emphasizes luxury, whirlwind romances, millennial hustle, choreographed action heroes, whodunit drama, activist undertones, and a celebration of glamour, independence, and hyper-modern morals. These films are crafted for both local resonance and global appeal, showcasing a more image-conscious Nigeria.

As far back as 2009, a new wave was emerging. Mnet Shows like Tinsel introduced viewers to a new cinematic language of elegance and affluence. The establishment of EbonyLife Media in 2013 signaled a full shift. Branded as a network portraying “Africans living their best lives,” the studio heralded a new Nollywood epoch.

Evil Spirits were replaced by shady business men. Suffering transformed into mental struggles rather than physical pain. Sexuality was no longer punished—it was gratuitously and perhaps excessively celebrated. Men also became victims of new cinematic expectations — “six packs and six figures”.

Some things however, remained the same. In Glamorous Nollywood, we still see side characters with exaggerated mannerisms and accents, typically drawn from the working class or lower-income backgrounds.

These groups, are frequently used as comedic relief or narrative backdrops for dramatic spectacle rather than heartfelt perspectives. One might even argue that it leans slightly towards the elitism for which the Golden Era is often criticized.

Cinematically, this epoch is defined by the slow dance of camera angles. Films like The Wedding Party, Chief Daddy, Everybody Loves Jenifa, and Banana Island Ghost showcase elite city life through sweeping drone shots, intense lighting, and glamorous fashion.

Like Rococo paintings, these films are crafted to enthrall. They are fantasies stemming from contemporary ambition. They reflect the new gnawing desire for wealth and heroes, without the barriers of the metaphysical.

The lingering question remains: is modern Nollywood a form of escapism, or is it a faithful mirror of Nigerian society? Do we truly have that many billionaires and superheroes—or are we simply projecting our aspirations onto the screen?