Ini Edo Appeals To Keep ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ In Cinemas, Insists Film Respects Christianity
Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ini Edo has appealed to regulators and the public to allow her new movie, ‘A Very Dirty Christmas,’ to continue screening in cinemas, insisting the film does not insult Christianity and urging critics to watch it before forming opinions.
In a heartfelt Instagram video shared Sunday night, Edo emphasised that the controversy is over the film’s title, not its content, and pleaded for the movie to remain available to audiences.
“Please, don’t pull my film. Let people watch it first and then decide if it disrespects Christians or Christianity. If it does, I will personally pull it,” she said.
Edo explained that the title was never meant to offend. “We called it ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ to reflect family conflicts and secrets coming to light. The film has no dirt in it and does not mock Christians or dishonour God,” she added.
She also highlighted the financial stakes, noting that the film has been released in more than 70 cinemas nationwide and involved substantial investment in production and marketing.
Authorities have reportedly requested a title change, and Edo expressed willingness to comply while still urging that the movie not be withdrawn.
“They’ve asked us to change the title or risk having the film pulled. I will work on changing it, but please don’t take it out of cinemas. As a Christian myself, I don’t want any conflict with my faith community,” she said.
Edo also issued an apology to anyone offended by the title, reiterating that there was no malicious intent. “‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ was never meant to discredit Christianity. If it has hurt anyone, I am sincerely sorry,” she said.
Her comments come after the Christian Association of Nigeria raised concerns over the film’s title.
If I had known the title ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ would cause a problem, I would have changed it. CAN, I am sorry. I never meant to insult or disgrace Christians. I am a Christian too.
— Actress Ini Edo breaks down in tears on Instagram Live after CAN threatened to take down her… pic.twitter.com/TnFjKHqvgl
— Linda Ikeji Blog (@lindaikeji) December 21, 2025
