With Hold Me, Let Me Go, Brenda Ogbukaa-Garuba, known for producing the award winning film To Adaego With Love, tells a story about personal loss and grief, marking her directorial debut as a filmmaker.
In a recent interview with The Nollywood Reporter (TNR), the producer-turned-director opens up about the inspiration behind the upcoming film, including the experience of taking the director’s seat for the first time.
The film, as she explains, asks a simple but difficult question: “If we knew when our time was going to end, how would we prepare ourselves and the people we love?”
The story draws from Ogbukaa-Garuba’s personal experience with grief following her father’s death and ruminating on what it truly means to leave people behind.
“I lost my dad suddenly, and I wasn't prepared for the grief that followed. It was a kind of pain I didn't understand before then. I also realized that many people go through loss without really knowing how to deal with it,” she shares.
That experience stayed with her and eventually led her to write, produce and direct Hold Me, Let Me Go. She notes that her decision to direct the film was intentional because it felt like the right story, and she understood the emotions in it.
“As a screenwriter and producer, I have always been interested in stories that are driven by people and their emotions. This gave me the opportunity to tell one of those stories from behind the camera.”
As her directorial debut, Ogbukaa-Garuba wants the audience to see that she is interested in deeply personal stories that people can relate to. “I want to tell stories about real people, real emotions and situations that can make people look at their own lives differently.”
As a filmmaker, she constantly chooses impact over entertainment. “I don't want to tell stories just for entertainment. I want them to stay with you after you have watched them.”
According to Ogbukaa-Garuba, wearing the director hat felt different from producing. As a producer, she mentions being obsessed with the bigger picture to make sure everything comes together.
On the flip side as a director, she was actively involved in every creative decision and that was a completely different experience for her. “There were definitely challenges,” she notes. She recalls moments that gave her reasons to appreciate production over directing.
“I'm still not sure if I will direct again, because producing comes more naturally to me. But I am glad I took the opportunity to do this. It pushed me creatively and gave me a new understanding of what directors go through.”
On distribution plans for the upcoming film, Ogbukaa-Garuba says there are ongoing plans to ensure Hold Me, Let Me Go is released on a platform where everyone can easily access.
“We want as many people as possible to see the film, so accessibility is very important to us.”
While the filmmaker did not disclose the exact release date for the project, she assures audiences that the film will be available before the end of the year. “We are looking forward to finally sharing the film with them.”
