The Story ⚡
In the burgeoning Nigerian film scene, Korede Azeez is a name that has come to signify a particular brand of cinematic introspection – one that plumbs the depths of human emotion with unwavering sensitivity and unflinching honesty.
Her films are like delicate, hand-woven tapestries, each thread carefully considered and precision-placed to create a richly textured portrait of contemporary life. With ‘With Difficulty Comes Ease’, her latest feature, Azeez turns her gaze upon the inner world of a young widow, laying bare the jagged contours of grief and the slow, incremental journey towards healing. It’s a film that whispers rather than shouts, it’s quiet intensity a testament to Azeez’s faith in the transformative power of the human spirit.
Read our conversation with her on the making of her latest picture “With Difficulty Comes Ease” now streaming on Prime Video.
From the Lens Of Korede Azeez; The Story of With Difficulty Comes Ease
I was going for a slice-of-life family drama. It is about a young widow who has to find her way after losing her anchor in life. In some ways, it is a bit of a coming-of-age story, not for your typical teenager, but for an adult woman. It is a coming-of-age story in that she has to rediscover herself. A lot of women come to find that when they get married, they sort of start to lose themselves; and their identity. They go from being a person called Zainab to this new world where their new identity is Mother and Wife. Navigating all these can be weird and lonely so I also wanted to capture that phase of a woman’s life.
I wanted to capture that transition. In this case especially, for someone who almost as soon as she is thrown into that, she is also yanked in a different direction when she loses her husband. I wanted to capture the chaos of all of that.
Before I got married, I only gave a little thought to what a young widow might go through. But after getting married, I started seeing women around me going through similar things. It just got me thinking about how tough it can be, so I wanted to tell the story of those women.
Pre-Production Story Of With Difficulty Comes Ease
I had the first draft before Nemsia Studios came on board. The genesis was in October 2022 when we were wrapping up post-production for my short film. I wanted to work on something that featured a Muslim woman as the main character. I tweeted about it and got a lot of responses, including a suggestion for a story about a young widow. I found that I had already written something similar years before about a widow dealing with financial difficulties after her husband’s death.
We merged the two ideas and did some research, which became our first draft. Initially, I wrote it light, thinking it might be shot on a shoestring budget. But when Nemsia came on board, I saw we’d get good financing, so I expanded the script. During the development phase, we cranked out three more drafts, which was the fastest I’ve ever worked. Feedback was crucial, and we had a couple of quick writing rooms with different writers to refine the script.
A Healthy Part Of The Story Is In Hausa. Navigating Directing The Hausa Sections Of The Story
The story is set and shot in Abuja, mostly Gwagwalada and the language of that area is Hausa so it had to be in there. Initial script writing was totally in English, There were notes saying what dialogues/sections were in Hausa. Down the line, when there are final copies, every actor is getting their sides, and there can be proper Hausa translations for specific scripts.
There isn’t too much Hausa dialogue. I know what I want to say and I get a translator on board for the parts that are in Hausa. It helped that the Assistant Director speaks Hausa well, and of course, I worked very closely with the actors who speak Hausa as well. So I always like to work through the script with them, making sure the translations convey the right message. It involves quite a bit of preparation before we get on set.
The Need To Tell A Story With Religious Conversion
I got tired of Igbo People saying it is not possible for an Igbo person to become a Muslim or to convert from Christianity to Islam when I know so many examples. I grew up in the East of Nigeria and because I am a Muslim myself, I got to interact with a few Igbo Muslims in that space. Even in Enugu, when you tell people you know an Igbo Muslim, they tell you it is not possible. I have experienced the same thing in Abuja as well.
People tend to forget that other Nigerian tribes are Muslims and it isn’t even every Hausa person who is a Muslim. I always find it really weird and I figure that the reason why a lot of people have these notions is because they don’t see anything different from what they think, on screens. I figured putting this in a movie is a great way to let people know that things are not as black & white as all that. It is a drive for people to be more aware of what is around them.
Guidelines For The Religious Arc And Acceptance Into A Family Arc Of The Story
To be honest, I was not worried about any of that because I did not set out to preach anything. I only wanted to tell a story that was as real and true to reality as possible
Yes, she is married into a Northern Kanuri family but what I wanted to show was what people who convert religions go through. The reality is there are always those issues with acceptance from both sides; both religious and from the family’s side. People convert and then it feels to them like they don’t belong anywhere. Not to their new religious community and then they are treated weirdly by their family. It was basically about just representing the story and experiences I have heard of. I figured people would do whatever they wanted to do with that information.
Naming of this feature; With Difficulty Comes Ease
The script was always titled With Difficulty Comes Ease. I don’t exactly remember what prompted it but it is taken from a verse of the Quran which says basically “With Difficulty comes Ease”. It must have been in the early phase of ideation that it just hit me. It is one of the more popular verses of the Quran. It is often used to console people when they are in difficult situations. Zainab was in a difficult situation so it just made sense to use it.
Feedback From Viewers About With Difficulty Comes Ease
Generally, I am happy that people get what it is that I was trying to do. Typically, I tend to try to do a lot with my films, so I like the fact that people got it. It didn’t feel like I was trying to be preachy. I was just telling a real, true story. That is the vibe people got. I also like the fact that people got to feel a bit of nostalgia because, to be honest, I was inspired by Old Nollywood. I wanted it to be like all those relatable stories that felt real and people connected with. I think those are the two things that stood out for me. It was also nice hearing that people got emotional and cried.
Building the Thick Tension Between Zainab And Her Mother-In-Law
Shout out to Ummi Aisha Baba-Ahmed and Uzoamaka Aniunoh because they are amazing actors, that is where it starts, they have craft. It was also a bonus for me that they are both writers and filmmakers, and because we had to deliver the film really quickly I leaned into that as much as possible.
I was eager for their feedback and input right from the preproduction stage. We kept refining the script right up until the day before the shoot started. We talked through things and walked through the emotions, that really helped. It needed to feel authentic and true to them as well.
Personally, when working with actors, I don’t like to move forward until I am sure we are all on the same page with what we are trying to achieve with the entire story and every single scene. We take our time to talk through scenes and dialogue. That kind of detail helps.
Interestingly, if I remember correctly, I think Uzoamaka has a family member who married into a northern family so she could relate with Zainab on some level and that definitely helped.
Conversations With Nemsia Studios About Commercial Appeal And Success For The Production
Nemsia Studios is special and I am happy to have worked with them. They gave me creative freedom to execute this. Of course, they did bring in their creative input, with notes to help improve the film creatively not necessarily because of the market. They might have raised a concern with the first cut, not alienating a certain type of audience. You know how Zainab almost didn’t smile throughout the film. In the final cut, we edited to bring in a few more nuances, especially about her relationship with Rayan so it doesn’t feel like she is 100 % mean to this guy who has been nice to her and helped her. It was nice working with Nemsia on this.
Structuring The Industry To Bring Out Diverse Stories
The industry is big and the beautiful thing about the industry is you can tell very specific stories that feel very universal. If you make something very specific to a group or character, as long as you’re telling an authentic story, you don’t have to worry about it resonating with audiences outside of that group, even internationally.
I will say that filmmakers need to embrace themselves, and where they are from, look inward, and tell the stories they want to tell without being afraid. We need to give opportunities to more filmmakers.
Nigeria has such rich cultural diversity and we need to see more of these different cultures on screen. For instance, my characters, instead of being straight-up Hausa, I said, okay they are Northern, but they are Kanuri. That might not have jumped out too much but it is just a small thing. It is those little things we can add to our stories to showcase our diversity. I hope more filmmakers lean into themselves and their stories, and the stuff they see going on around them. That is basically what I do, take stories I see around me
Korede Azeez’s Superpower As A Writer/Director
My unique perspective is shaped by my background. Growing up as a Yoruba Muslim in the East, I experienced a mix of cultures and viewpoints, giving me insights that others might not have.
Recommendations For Idea Generation And Nurturing
It varies for everyone. Personally, I don’t consider myself a fantastic writer because I haven’t written as much as I should. But if you have a story burning inside you, you need to push yourself to write it down and rely on feedback. When I was writing this movie, I depended heavily on feedback. The challenge is piecing together that feedback to create something strong.
Approach To Casting and Considerations.
Casting is one of the most challenging parts because it can make or break your film. For Uzoamaka (who played Zainab), we were just about to contact her when she emailed me after watching my Netflix short, Halima’s Choice, expressing her interest in working with me.
Originally, Zainab was supposed to be older than Rayyan, but as the story evolved, Uzo became a great fit. She’s a talented actress, and once she auditioned, we knew she was right for the role. Casting Caleb as Rayyan was harder. We auditioned several people before he came in, and everyone immediately knew he was the right choice. For Aunty Ummi, I always wanted to work with her. I sent her the script early on because she’s also a writer, and even though her character (the mother-in-law) was supposed to be uneducated, I made adjustments to fit her better.
Nene, Zainab’s sister (played by Michelle Dede), was Nemsia’s choice, and they made a great call on that one.
If You Were To Make This Film Again, What Choices Would You Make Differently?
I’d need more money to do things differently.
But honestly, when you’re in post-production, you always think about a million things you could’ve done better. Still, the movie is done, and it’s beautiful the way it is. It’s my baby, and I love it as it is.
Do you have anything you’re working on that we should look forward to?
Nothing big at the moment, just a couple of scripts on the side. But if someone comes to me with a million dollars, you’ll definitely see a film… laughs.
What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
I like to be by myself, play with my kids, read, and watch Korean movies.
In Summary
Korede Azeez is the quintessential Nigerian—a storyteller whose life reflects the rich cultural diversity of the country. Yoruba by tribe, she grew up in Nigeria’s South East and now resides in Abuja, where her creative journey continues to thrive.
You can catch her latest masterpiece; With Difficulty Comes Ease On Prime Video.
Oh, and if you have a million dollars you are not using for anything, Korede Azeez is willing to let you be an investor in her next blockbuster.
