The Story⚡
Five days after Nora Awolowo’s film Black Market won the Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a film screening, Canon named her its newest brand ambassador.
Tell Me More
Oreoluwa Racheal Awolowo, known professionally as Nora Awolowo, was born on 2 March 1999 in Lagos, Nigeria. She is 27 years old. She studied Accounting at Ekiti State University, graduating in 2019, and taught herself cinematography, directing, and producing while still a student. At 19, she founded Rixel Studios, the company behind much of her work.
The Record That Preceded the Announcement
In July 2026, Rixel Studios publicly stated its plan to bring 50,000 people to Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, for a single screening of Black Market. The goal was to beat the existing Guinness World Record. The screening was organised with FilmOne Studios, Signet Ring Studios and Switch Visuals Production.
On Saturday, 26 September 2026, the attempt succeeded. 51,258 people watched the crime thriller Black Market from beginning to end at TBS. Guinness World Records counted only viewers who stayed for the full film, so the figure was lower than the roughly 64,000 people Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat said were at the venue.
The title won was the Guinness World Record for the largest attendance at a film screening in a single location. The previous record was 43,624, set in 2015 during a screening of the Filipino film Felix Manalo at the Philippine Arena. The new figure beat it by more than 7,600 people.
Guinness World Records officially lists Nora Awolowo as a record holder, together with Damilola Osikoya and Switch Visual Limited.
The Canon Announcement
Canon has officially announced Nora Awolowo as its newest brand ambassador. The appointment recognises her contributions to African cinema and visual storytelling.
As a Canon Ambassador, she will collaborate closely with the brand to champion innovative technology, mentor emerging visual creators, and empower the next generation of storytellers across the continent.
Reflecting on the moment, she said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the journey, for every person who has believed in me, every story that has trusted me with its images, and every lesson that brought me here. From my first Canon to this moment. What a journey.”
Earlier Achievements
In 2025, at the age of 26, she became the youngest Nigerian filmmaker to take a film past the ₦100 million box-office mark with Red Circle, working as both producer and cinematographer.
She is the first Nigerian woman nominated for Best Cinematography at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for her work on the 2024 Netflix drama Lisabi: The Uprising. In 2023, she won Best Documentary at the same awards for the FIFA-commissioned Nigeria: The Debut. Her earlier documentaries include Life at the Bay (selected for the Africa International Film Festival), Baby Blues, Symphonies, David and All Lives Matter. She has also received multiple nominations for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Film.
In Summary
The filmmaker who once filled venues with tens of thousands of viewers now steps into a partnership that places both tools and guidance within reach of those still learning how to gather their own audiences. The next chapter is already taking shape.
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