’77: The Festac Conspiracy’ Premieres in Lusaka to Sold-Out Crowd

’77: The Festac Conspiracy’ Premieres in Lusaka as Pan-African Cinema Takes Centre Stage

Lusaka erupted in excitement as *’77: The Festac Conspiracy* premiered to a sold-out crowd, with Rita Dominic and Ramsey Nouah drawing huge cheers for a film now being hailed as a bold Pan-African cinematic statement.

Atlantic Post

July 3, 2026

2–3 minutes

77 The Festac Conspiracy, Africa Creative Market, Izu Ojukwu, Pan-African Cinema, Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic

LUSAKA, Zambia — The world premiere of ’77: The Festac Conspiracy drew a full house in Lusaka on Wednesday night, July 1, 2026, as the political thriller opened as an anchor event for the Africa Creative Market 2026. The premiere marked the first time the cross-continental market has expanded beyond Nigeria, placing Zambia at the centre of a major Pan-African entertainment showcase.

The screening, held at the International Conference Centre, attracted a star-studded turnout and generated strong public attention before and after the event. According to the organisers, the venue was sold out, while the appearance of Rita Dominic and Ramsey Nouah on the red carpet helped fuel a wave of online reactions surrounding the film’s launch.

Directed by Izu Ojukwu, ’77: The Festac Conspiracy is the sequel to the 2016 film ’76 and continues the franchise’s focus on political tension, historical memory and African identity. The Lusaka premiere was presented as both a film launch and a cultural moment, with the production team positioning the project as a statement about the commercial and artistic reach of African stories on screen.

Rita Dominic, who featured prominently at the event, said the response from the Zambian audience showed the cross-border appeal of African cinema.

“To see the explosive warmth and energy from our Zambian family tonight proves that African stories know no borders,” she said during a post-screening address. “This premiere wasn’t just about a movie; it was a celebration of our shared history, our shared culture and the booming future of African cinema.”

Executive Producer Prince Tonye Princewill said the film goes further than the earlier instalment in both scale and ambition.

“With ’77: The Festac Conspiracy, we are going deeper into history, but with even more cinematic power,” he said. “This film is a cultural reckoning and a global statement about where African cinema is headed.”

The premiere also underscored Zambia’s growing profile as a destination for major African entertainment events. By hosting the opening night of the Africa Creative Market 2026, Lusaka became the focal point of a continental industry gathering that organisers say is designed to strengthen collaboration, investment and visibility across African creative sectors.

For the producers, the event appeared to deliver on multiple fronts: a strong audience turnout, broad social media traction and an international setting that amplified the film’s Pan-African message. The response in Lusaka is also expected to build momentum ahead of the film’s next major rollout.

Producers hinted that a Homecoming Premiere is being planned for Lagos, the city where FESTAC ’77 took place. That event, they said, would give Nigerian audiences an early opportunity to celebrate the film before it moves into a wider theatrical release.

The anticipated Lagos premiere is likely to be one of the film’s biggest public moments, given the historical weight of FESTAC ’77 and the level of interest already generated by the Lusaka debut.

With its combination of historical subject matter, high-profile casting and continental positioning, ’77: The Festac Conspiracy has emerged as one of the most closely watched African film releases of 2026. Its successful world premiere in Zambia now places the project among the year’s most talked-about Pan-African entertainment stories.