LAGOS, NIGERIA — Nollywood actor, filmmaker and producer Rotimi Salami continues to raise the bar with his latest production, KILANKO: The Invincible Child, as the emotionally compelling drama makes its way to international audiences in Canada and the United States.
The film is among the nominees and has been selected in two categories at TINFF 2026, thus putting the Nigerian-made story on an international stage.
KILANKO: The Invincible Child in Toronto, Canada: Where and When: September 10, 2026, at The Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall Drive, Toronto, Ontario. Time: 5pm to 7pm. Where: If you wish to attend this viewing, please visit Rotimi Salami’s official site to inquire about free passes.
The film will subsequently head to the United States, where Americana Archivar Plus Convergence will host screenings beginning in Indianapolis on October 8, 2026. Details of tickets and additional U.S. screening cities will be announced soon.
“Tell a friend to tell their families. KILANKO is coming to you all.”
ABOUT KILANKO: THE INVINCIBLE CHILD
Runtime: 98 minutes
Genre: Drama
Cast: Allwell Ademola, Rotimi Salami, Ibrahim Chatta, Tina Mba, Yinka Quadri, Bimbo Manuel, Jumoke Salami, Biola Adebayo, Saheed Balogun, Bliss Salami
Director: Allwell Ademola
Synopsis
KILANKO: The Invincible Child centers on a profoundly sad yet undeniably pertinent story about life with sickle cell disease and, in a more profound way, the experience of being a Black mother navigating belief systems that can be interpreted as referring to an ‘abiku’ child.
This picture really pulls you into the story, to the emotional depth of the characters and the emotional impact of the mother’s devotion, sacrifice and tenacity. “The story benefits from seasoned actors who give rich and sincere performances; they give the story a lot of heart.”
On the one hand, though it tackles issues of social importance, it has a lot of entertainment, with humor injected at points to ease the emotions.
In essence, the film is a tale of survival, sacrifice and hope, but it is also a chance to educate people about the disease and its effects, as well as combatting a superstition which states that children with recurrent spiritual connections will become seriously ill if they fall short of that connection.
The Invincible Child, which has a realistic approach to its narrative as well as strong cultural authenticity, provides its audience with an enriching cinema experience that moves the heart and spreads a much-needed social message.
Recommendation: Top-tier viewing.
Visit Rotimi Salami’s Official Website for the invite.
