C. J. Obasi, often called "The Fiery One," is a visionary director, screenwriter, and editor who is a leading figure in the "New Nigerian Cinema." He is the co-founder of the Surreal16 Collective, a cinema movement dedicated to challenging the status quo of Nollywood through avant-garde and genre-defying storytelling.

His third feature, Mami Wata (2023)—a hyper-stylized black-and-white fantasy—became a global sensation. It was the first film by a homegrown Nigerian director to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award for Cinematography.

He gained early fame for Ojuju (2014), a zero-budget zombie thriller that won Best Nigerian Film at AFRIFF and proved that high-concept genre films could thrive in Nigeria.

Obasi is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The Oscars). Mami Wata was selected as Nigeria’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards.