Gender in New Nollywood cinema: The case of Citation (2020) and Blood Sisters (2022).

This article examines the evolving representation of gender in New Nollywood cinema, focusing on how the films *Citation* (2020) by Kunle Afolayan and *Blood Sisters* (2022) by Biyi Bandele and Kenneth Gyang challenge patriarchal norms in African corporate and domestic settings. Unlike Old Nollywood, which often depicted women as passive, sexualized objects subject to male dominance and moralistic punishment, these New Nollywood films foreground women's agency, empowerment, and assertiveness in confronting sexual violence, domestic abuse, and institutional patriarchy. Both films portray educated, middle-class female protagonists who actively resist and expose gender-based violence, emphasizing individual choice and self-reliance over reliance on compromised state or cultural institutions. While New Nollywood continues to reflect some patriarchal stereotypes, it marks a significant shift by presenting women as socially conscious actors who negotiate and challenge oppressive gender dynamics within Nigerian society.