Inside the controversy, the tears and the battle to save A Very Dirty Christmas from being pulled off cinema screens
What began as a festive cinema release has turned into one of Nollywood’s most emotionally charged culture clashes of the season. At the centre of it is Ini Edo, actress, producer and self professed Christian, now pleading with regulators, faith leaders and the public to pause the outrage and watch her film before condemning it.
Her movie, A Very Dirty Christmas, only recently debuted in cinemas nationwide. Yet within days, the title alone ignited backlash, culminating in calls by the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN for regulatory action. The controversy has now forced Edo into an emotional public defence, one she says she never imagined would be necessary.
Why Ini Edo Says This Is About a Title, Not the Story
In a visibly distressed video posted on Instagram late Sunday night, Edo insisted the storm around the film has nothing to do with its content and everything to do with perception.
“Just don’t pull my film, please,” she said repeatedly. “Allow people to watch. If it dishonours God or Christians in any way, I will pull it myself.”
According to the actress, the title was never intended as a slight on Christianity. Instead, she described the film as a family centred story about conflict, secrets and reconciliation.
“This film has no dirt in it,” she stressed. “It does not ridicule Christians. It does not degrade Christianity.”
Her fear is not only reputational. It is financial.
With over 70 cinemas already screening the movie, Edo revealed she raised funds from investors and committed heavily to nationwide promotion across print, media and digital platforms. Pulling the film now, she warned, could be devastating.
“I don’t know how we are going to do it,” she admitted. “I took money from investors.”
What CAN and the Censors Are Saying
CAN’s objection focuses squarely on the title. In a statement dated December 16, the Christian body described A Very Dirty Christmas as offensive and disrespectful, urging relevant authorities to review the film.
The National Film and Video Censors Board NFVCB has since confirmed it asked the producer to modify the title, citing public sensitivity and perception.
While the board stopped short of banning the film, it reminded the public that it retains the power to withdraw films in the public interest if necessary.
For Edo, that possibility is the nightmare scenario.
“They’ve asked us to change the title,” she said. “I’m willing. Just give us time. Don’t pull the film.”
How Faith, Art and Identity Collided
Perhaps the most striking part of Edo’s appeal is how deeply personal it is. She insists this is not a battle against Christianity but a misunderstanding within it.
“I am a Christian,” she said. “Christians are not the people I want a problem with because I’m one.”
She apologised to anyone offended by the title, maintaining there was no malicious intent. Yet she also challenged critics to engage with the actual work before demanding its removal.
Her argument is simple but loaded. Can art be judged by its title alone? And in a society as religious as Nigeria, where does creative expression end and offence begin?
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What Happens Next
For now, A Very Dirty Christmas remains in cinemas, though under a cloud of uncertainty. Edo has signalled openness to retitling the film, a rare concession that underscores the pressure she is under.
Still, her final plea lingers.
“Give me a fair fighting ground,” she said. “Let people watch it.”
As Nollywood continues to grow into a global industry, this episode may become a defining case study. Not just about one film or one title, but about how Nigeria negotiates the fragile line between faith, freedom and storytelling in the public square.
