A church baptism in the outskirts of town. A community gathered in faith. And then, a sudden drowning that changes everything. This is the premise of ‘Baptism’, a new mystery thriller from Orire Nwani that recently completed principal photography.
Produced by Conceptified Media and One Child Grace Studios, the film centres on members of St Jude’s Cathedral, who travel out of the city to perform a baptism. What is expected to be a peaceful spiritual exercise quickly takes a different turn when a young boy dies during the ritual. The aftermath forces the group to confront tensions, secrets, and moral questions that go beyond the tragic incident itself.
The film is directed by Orire Nwani, whose recent work includes the Amazon Prime series ‘Grind’, the short film ‘T’egbon T’aburo’, which received an AMVCA nomination, and the branded content series ‘Tales of Ramadan’ for Maggi. With ‘Baptism’, Nwani moves into mystery territory, focusing on group dynamics and the tensions that emerge when a community is shaken by loss.
The cast includes Toni Tones, Ozzy Agu, and Bimbo Manuel in lead roles. Tones, who has played a wide range of characters in both film and television, is joined by Agu, known for his understated performances, and Manuel, a longstanding figure in the industry. Supporting roles feature actors like Yvonne Jegede, Tomi Ojo, veteran actor Jide Kosoko, Bobby Ekpe, Seun Kentebe, Toyeeb Oseni, and Funmbi Toye. The film also introduces newcomers Eric Emeka and Idara Peniel, who play characters central to the unfolding story.
‘Baptism’ was shot entirely on location in Lagos. It is produced by Josh Olaoluwa (‘Oloture 2’, ‘A Sunday Affair’) and Goodness Emmanuel (‘The Griot’, ‘The Wives’), both of whom have worked on a mix of mainstream and indie projects in recent years. Cinematography is handled by Fadamana Okwong (‘A Ghetto Love Story’, ‘The Fire & The Moth’), and production was managed by Rume Orukpe.
The screenplay is co-written by Adaora Sandra and Hope Eniayekan. Their script explores themes of community, belief, and accountability within a close-knit religious group. While details of the plot remain under wraps, the narrative appears to rely less on action and more on interpersonal conflict and layered revelations.
The film is executive produced by Efosa Ogbomo, Josh Olaoluwa, and Orire Nwani through their respective banners, One Child Grace Studios and Conceptified Media. According to the production team, more information about distribution and release will be made available in the coming weeks.
Though ‘Baptism’ is not yet dated for release, it enters a Nollywood space that is seeing a gradual rise in genre films, particularly thrillers and mysteries, that centre on everyday situations with unsettling outcomes. Whether the film ultimately leans more into psychological drama or social critique remains to be seen, but the premise positions it as a title that may invite conversation when it eventually reaches audiences.
