Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ini Edo has appealed to regulators and the public not to remove her latest movie, ‘A Very Dirty Christmas,’ from cinemas, insisting that the film does not mock Christianity and calling on critics to watch it before passing judgment.
In an emotional video shared on her Instagram page Sunday night, Edo stressed that the controversy centers on the film’s title rather than its content and pleaded for the movie to remain available to audiences.
“Just don’t pull my film, please. Let people watch it first. Watch the film and then decide if it disrespects Christians or Christianity. If it does, I will pull it myself,” she said.
She explained that the title was never intended to demean the Christian faith. “We chose ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ to reflect family conflicts and secrets coming to light. There is no dirt in the story, and it does not ridicule Christians or dishonour God,” Edo added.
The actress highlighted the financial implications of pulling the film, noting that it has been released in over 70 cinemas nationwide and involved significant investment in production, marketing, and distribution.
Edo also confirmed that authorities had requested a title change to avoid further controversy, expressing willingness to comply while still appealing for the film to remain in cinemas.
“They’ve asked us to change the title or risk having the film pulled. I will try to change it, but please don’t remove the movie. Christians are not the people I want a problem with, because I am one of them,” she said.
She apologised to anyone offended by the title, reiterating that there was no malicious intent. “‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ was never meant to discredit Christians or Christianity. If it has hurt anyone, I sincerely apologise,” she said.
The appeal comes in the wake of concerns raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria over the film’s title.
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