“Friendship is the wine of life.” — Edward Young. ‘Friends Indeed’ explores what happens when the wine turns sour and ceases to serve its sweetness. A tale of betrayal and the quest for social status and relevance turned four lifelong friends against each other and tested their once-unbreakable bond in a case of rivalry and sabotage. What began as harmless competition soon spiraled into envy, betrayal, and deceit, exposing hidden insecurities and dangerous secrets.
Written by Pacass Adebayo and Sandra Bremaud. For Bremaud, the strong pull to tell this story came from deep personal experiences with friendships. “I believe in friendships and in the essence of friendships, but we are losing it.”
For Richard Omos-Iboyi, bringing Bremaud’s dream of showcasing the intricacies and depth of friendship to life was important. He noted that the film had to be refined multiple times to meet the executive producer’s vision. He spoke about the characters of the film, where he underscored major themes that cause friendship, rivalry and breakups. Ngozi, a PhD holder in mathematics, believes she knows it all and is superior to others; Ufoma represents wealth and has the means; these differences dredged up a wide gap in their friendship.
Henry Arnold, a major cast member in ‘Friends Indeed’, also shared his opinion on the dynamics of male and female friendships. “Well, the basic truth remains that we cannot do without each other. And as it is, the world is moving. Everybody is running – the fast cars, fast everything. Everybody wants to achieve everything,” he said. He spoke about friendship breakups: “Sometimes you have to let some people go.” He stated, “I don’t feel sad when some people leave me or when I leave some people.” he emphasized that it is a natural part of life.
Speaking with Venita Akpofure, a cast member of ‘Friends Indeed’, she expressed her belief that the film reflected the friendships in her own life. Discussing her character, “She knows what she wants; she does a few things that are questionable, but, you know, high-pressure friend group… this is a Lagos-buddy friend group,” she stated. She also cautioned people against hastily labelling individuals as friends without truly understanding their true nature.
Communicating on the role of community and shared values, Ifeanyi Kalu, who played one of the friends’ husbands, emphasised the importance of friendship within marriage. In his words, “Setting up certain structures, such as having the right friends and the right company around you, helps you to be on the right track. We were very lucky to have wonderful friends who align with our values as Christians, believers, and professionals focused on their work.”
The evening ended with various lessons on friendships. For Venita Akpofure, “I think you can meet new people who can bring you new lessons, but at the stage or age that I’m in in life, you probably have to survive about two years deep with me before I’m even going to start bringing you around my other friends.”
Omos-Iboyi, discussing the film, said, “I think you will have a new perspective about friendship when you watch this movie. Sometimes, the friends we perceive as betrayers are simply the ones brave enough to tell us the truth and always stand up against our unruly behaviour.”
Ifeanyi Kalu stood firm on his opinion that to stay sane, you need to have the right friends: “If you want to stay sane and live your life the way God has ordained, having the right circle of friends helps you to stay on track and be what God wants you to be.”
As it continues its run in cinemas, ‘Friends Indeed’ ultimately serves as a reminder that true friendship is tested in truth, not convenience, and hopes to leave audiences with more than just a story but something to think about long after the credits roll.
