‘Remi and Nneoma’ will begin its nationwide cinema run on June 26, arriving as a modern retelling of the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, in what its director describes as a film timed for the present moment.
Speaking to Nollywire at the film’s premiere, director Lyndsey Efejuku pointed to the country’s current emotional climate as central to the film’s release. “This story just needed to be told now,” she said. “It’s almost like it’s lined up to come out now that we’re going through so much… a collective sense of grief.”
That context positions ‘Remi and Nneoma’ as more than a relationship drama. Instead, it enters cinemas as a film anchored on healing, faith, and emotional endurance, themes that recur across conversations with its cast and creators.
Led by Liz Benson and Bisola Aiyeola, the film follows a story of love, loss, and second chances, with a strong focus on the bond between a woman and her mother-in-law. But while its premise draws from scripture, its treatment is grounded in contemporary Nigerian storytelling.
Efejuku emphasised restraint as a defining creative choice during production. “One note that I was very particular about is subtlety,” she said. “I didn’t want it to be overdramatic. I wanted it to be subtle, so it almost breaks your heart.”
That approach extends into the performances. Aiyeola, who plays Remi, described the role as a departure from her natural disposition. “The calmness, the patience of Remi is something that I try to emulate, but it’s hard because Bisola is Bisola, Remi is Remi,” she said, noting that the character’s emotional control and faith required a different kind of internal work.
Across the cast, there is also a consistent resistance to framing characters in simple moral terms. Kelechi Udegbe, whose role has rigid cultural expectations, pushed back on the idea of “villains” altogether. “They’re not really bad people,” he said. “They’re trying to get what is theirs. Sometimes they just go the wrong way.”
Uche Montana echoed that layered approach, describing her character as “chaos”, but rooted in something recognisable. “She’s a spoilt child,” Montana said, explaining that she drew from that trait to ground the performance.
Nollywire’s earlier conversations with members of the ensemble have similarly explored these tensions, from debates around love and duty to the emotional weight of grief and family expectations, pointing to a film built on conflicting motivations rather than clear-cut antagonists.
Executive producer Solate Ovundah-Akarolo says the project is a strategic shift at her production banner Five2 Media. ‘Remi and Nneoma’ is the company’s first faith-based film and its first theatrical release in that category.
“Movies don’t just entertain,” she said. “They can heal, they can restore, they can make people reflect… and give people hope.”
That emphasis on hope is central to how the film is being positioned ahead of its release. Cast members repeatedly described it as a story that balances emotional weight with warmth, designed to leave audiences feeling uplifted.
“You will laugh, you will cry… and you will leave with your heart full of warmth,” one cast member said during the premiere, describing the film as a communal viewing experience. “There is something for everybody.”
Distributed by Nile Entertainment, ‘Remi and Nneoma’ opens in cinemas nationwide on June 26.
