The Story⚡
In this post, we take a fun ride behind the scenes of Breath of Life, uncovering fascinating facts you probably didn’t know about its making.
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Breath of Life is a drama film written and directed by BB Sasore, with Eku Edewor serving as the producer. Released to widespread acclaim on November 15, 2023, on Prime Video, the film follows Mr. Timi, a former clergyman who loses his faith after witnessing the tragic death of his wife and daughter. It marks the first instalment in a three-film deal between Nemsia Films and Amazon Studios. The movie was the closing film at the 2023 Africa International Film Festival and went on to win Best Movie at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. The cast features an impressive lineup, including Wale Ojo, Chimezie Imo, Genoveva Umeh, Ademola Adedoyin, Eku Edewor, and Sam Dede, among others.
Now, let’s dive into some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about this remarkable film.
1. The Most Expensive Scene in Breath of Life is…
Despite appearing in the shortest scene of the film, Princess Alexandra’s costume was the most expensive. The scene was not only the most expensive in terms of costume per individual but also required building an entire set for a moment that lasted less than a minute.
In the words of the producer, Eku Edewor, “Princess Alexandra is the most expensive singular costume from head to toe even though it is the shortest scene in the film. The scene is also the most expensive scene to execute for everyone. The whole set had to be built, even though it only lasted for less than a minute.”
2. The Baby Fire Scene Was Improvised
Cinematographer Ola Cardoso revealed that the Baby Fire scene was not originally planned to include real fire. The decision to add fire was made just a day or two before shooting, and while it gave the scene an “Indian movie” vibe, it turned out to be one of the most memorable moments in the film.
“It was more of improvisation. We knew we were going to shoot the scene, but we didn’t plan to bring in fire. It was a day or two before that day we decided to introduce real fire into the scene,” Ola Cardoso said while commenting on the scene, which turned out to be his favourite during the production.
3. Deleted Scenes Included a Tense Dining Table Moment
The post-production editor, Holmes Awa, shared that one of his favourite scenes didn’t make the final cut. It involved Mr. Timi, Elijah, and Anna at the dining table after a failed attempt at intimacy between Elijah and Anna. The tension in the scene was palpable, but it was removed because it didn’t move the plot forward.
While editing the film, Holmes Awa commented on his favourite scenes, “There is a scene where Mr Timi, Elijah, and Anna were at the dining table after Anna and Elijah tried to have sex. At the table, there was silence, and you could feel the tension. And Mr. Timi goes, ‘I thought you were starting a church,’ and Elijah said, ‘Yes, I am,’ and Mr. Timi said, ‘Fornication. Great start.’ You know, you can feel the tension. That’s one of my favourite scenes in terms of performance, how the characters relate with each other.”
Holmes spoke about the difficult decisions involved in cutting scenes. He compared it to “killing your child,” as editors often become attached to certain moments but must remove them if they don’t serve the story.
“In post-production, we often say that for you to be a good editor, you have to have the willingness to kill your darling. It’s like killing your child. We get attached, but if there’s an element that doesn’t move the plot forward, it shouldn’t be there,” he added.
The film was thus edited to focus the story on Mr. Timi’s relationship with Elijah and Anna. Scenes that didn’t contribute to this central narrative, such as Elijah attending a gala, were cut from the final version. “We decided to structure the story to be about Mr. Timi’s relationship with Elijah and Anna. In the script, we had Elijah at a gala and many moving parts that didn’t make the final cut,” Holmes further added.
4. The Film Was Originally Over Two and a Half Hours Long
The initial cut of Breath of Life was about two hours and thirty minutes long. However, it was trimmed down to one hour and fifty-four minutes to better suit the streaming platform, where shorter runtimes are preferred to keep viewers engaged. In the post-production editor’s words, “The initial length of the film was about two hours and thirty minutes. That was because there were a lot of moving parts in the film. However, it had to be cut down to one hour fifty-four minutes.”
5. Music Licensing Was a Challenge
One of the major concerns during production was securing music from artists. Director BB Sasore revealed that they were worried about whether artists would agree to license their music at affordable rates. Fortunately, the artists agreed to provide their music at “highway robbery prices,” making it possible for the film to feature the desired tracks.
“We had concerns about this is the artists we are thinking, and we hope they will give us their music. This was a concern because, in this part of the world, you cannot afford some music. So, to all the artists, I should mention that they all gave us their music at highway robbery prices,” said BB Sasore.
6. Music Supervisor’s Personal Connection to the Artists Aid Licensing
Music supervisor Kaline Akinkugbe admitted that her personal relationships with some artists helped in selecting the right music for the film. She chose artists whose music she knew well and loved, aligning with the film’s style, genre, location, and era.
“I think what saved me is the style and genre of the film, what it’s about, the location, the feeling, even the era. I was able to now use artists that I kind of knew and know their music very well, and it’s music that I like,” she said.
7. Bridget’s Costumes Were Chosen to Reflect Her To Be Out of Place
Costume designer Daniel Obasi explained that costumes in Breath of Life were not just clothing but tools to show character development. For example, Bridget’s costumes were deliberately chosen to make her appear out of place in the town, reflecting her character’s journey.
“For the film, costume wasn’t just used as clothing. The costumes were used to show characters’ growth and progression,” Daniel Obasi mentioned. “Bridget’s costumes were deliberately chosen to show her to be out of place in the town,” he further added in his remark on the choice of costume for Mr. Timi’s wife, Bridget, who has always lived in London. Her relocation to Nigeria, and precisely the town where she and her husband and daughter later find themselves, explains why she feels out of place.
The costume designer also emphasized that colour and costume choices were used to reflect the characters’ emotions and growth throughout the film. This added a layer of visual storytelling to the narrative.
8. Baby Fire’s Hair Was a Key Costume Element
Daniel Obasi highlighted that Baby Fire’s hair was a crucial part of his costume. It made him look like a traitor, someone who would betray his people, which added depth to his character and the accusations against him.
“What stood out for Baby Fire was his hair because, with that, he looked like a traitor, someone who would have done what he’s accused of, being a mouthpiece for the white, someone who would betray his people,” Daniel further explained.
9. Post-production Editing Happened Simultaneously with Filming
Unlike in some film projects where post-production begins after principal photography, Breath of Life had editor Holmes Awa working on the footage while the film was still being shot. He would edit scenes and send them to director BB Sasore, who sometimes used the edits to inform his directing decisions.
“With Breath of Life, post-production ran simultaneously with production. While the cinematographers were on set shooting, I’d get the day’s footage. My assistant was on set to deliver the materials to me, and I’d start editing, playing with ideas, putting them together, and trying to tell the story in isolation from the full picture,” Holmes Awa said.
10. The Film’s Mood Juxtaposition Was Challenging
Music supervisor Kaline Akinkugbe found it challenging to balance the juxtaposition of different moods in the film. Many scenes combined tension with humour, requiring careful musical choices to enhance the emotional impact.
“The most challenging thing was the juxtaposition between various moods. This is because a lot of them were combined into scenes, so you have moments where it’s supposed to be tense but also funny,” Kaline Akinkugbe said.
In Summary
From Before 30 (2015) to Banana Island Ghost (2017), God Calling (2018), Breath of Life (2023), A Green Fever (2024), With Difficulty Comes Ease (2024), and Soft Love (2024), Nemsia Studios, co-founded by Derin Adeyokunnu and BB Sasore, has consistently proven itself as more than just another film production company.
With an impressive slate of titles set to roll out this year, Nemsia is undoubtedly the studio to watch out for. It has already made waves with its action-packed drama, Suky, which is now streaming on Prime Video. Also on its 2025 lineup are After 30 and The Fire and the Moth, the latter co-produced with Taiwo Egunjobi, who also takes the director’s chair.
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