Genevieve Nnaji, Nigerian actress and producer, pictured alongside fellow Women in Cinema honourees at the Red Sea Film Foundation gala held at Hotel du Cap during the 79th Cannes Film Festival, 14 May 2026. Photo Credit: Red Sea Film Foundation/Instagram
The Red Sea Film Foundation held its annual Women in Cinema gala at the Hotel du Cap on the French Riviera, alongside the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The event, which spotlights trailblazing women from the Arab world, Africa, and Asia, named Genevieve Nnaji as one of this year’s honourees — recognising her as a Nigerian actress, producer, and one of the leading figures in African cinema. This year’s edition also featured three African women in the spotlight for the first time, with Moroccan filmmaker Laïla Marrakchi and Rwandan filmmaker Marie–Clémentine Dusabejambo rounding out the African representation.
The Red Sea Film Foundation described Nnaji as widely regarded as a pioneer of Nollywood’s global expansion, with a career built on critical acclaim, commercial success, and cultural impact. Her directorial debut, Lionheart, became the first Nigerian film acquired by Netflix and was selected as Nigeria’s submission to the Academy Awards. Beyond acting, she has committed herself to advancing the quality, reach, and global positioning of African storytelling as a producer.
Genevieve Nnaji photographed in full at the Red Sea Film Foundation Women in Cinema gala, Cannes 2026, in an all-black two-piece featuring a sculptural voluminous top and a matching gathered floor-length ball skirt. Photo Credit: Red Sea Film Foundation/Instagram
She arrived at the gala in a full all-black two-piece: a structured top with a high gathered neckline and oversized sculpted sleeves, paired with a matching floor-length ball skirt carrying the same puffed, architectural silhouette. The fabric, a heavy silk taffeta with a soft matte finish, held every shape exactly where it needed to be. She kept jewellery minimal with a diamond tennis bracelet, stacked rings, and a small black crystal-embellished rectangular clutch. Her hair was sleek and middle-parted, makeup a soft smokey eye with a glossy mauve lip, and her nails finished in metallic silver points.
Genevieve Nnaji joins a 2026 Women in Cinema lineup that also includes Indian actress-singer Tara Sutaria, Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andani, and Saudi actress-writer Aixa Kay.
