A YouTube video by Amanda Oruh has gone viral after the actress shared her emotional journey of missing the premiere of her film LADY at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Despite the film being a major success at the prestigious US festival, Oruh revealed that visa restrictions prevented her from being physically present to celebrate her career’s biggest milestone.
The actress described the “pride and pain” of watching her success from thousands of miles away in Lagos. Her story has sparked a wider conversation about the systemic barriers Nigerian creatives face when trying to access the international stages they have legitimately earned through their work.
In a corroborating post on BellaNaija, the platform noted, “Amanda Oruh’s film LADY premiered… but visa restrictions kept her from being there.” Furthermore, The Punch echoed the sentiment of the industry, quoting her: “Success doesn’t always look the way we imagine; sometimes you achieve something incredible and still feel the sting of what you lost.”
Echotitbits take:
Oruh’s story is a sobering reminder that talent alone isn’t always enough to overcome geopolitical hurdles. While LADY is now heading to the Berlinale, the “visa ban” issue remains a major bottleneck for the global expansion of Nollywood. Expect this to fuel more calls for streamlined cultural exchange visas for top-tier African artists.
Source: Amanda Oruh (YouTube) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6me-KKrEXo February 1, 2026
Photo Credit: Facebook
