Kaelo Iyizoba has spoken about directing Before We Fall Asleep, his contribution to the second edition of Zikoko Life, describing the project as a chance to bring a deeply emotional story about love, longing and intimacy to the screen.
The family romance drama, written by Blessing Uzzi, follows a married couple navigating life-changing decisions. It stars Tobi Bakre and Onyinye Odokoro, with Rita Edochie also featuring in the cast.
Speaking exclusively with The Nollywood Reporter, Iyizoba said the project marked the first time he directed a screenplay he did not write, making the creative process both unfamiliar and rewarding.
“This was the first time I was directing something I didn’t write myself. So I had to figure out my entry point into the story.”
He credited Uzzi for delivering a strong script that still allowed room for collaboration, noting that each revised draft strengthened his connection to the story.
To guide his directing process, Iyizoba said he reduced every scene to a single guiding question, a technique that helped him maintain clarity while making creative decisions. Working with someone else’s script, he added, also gave him enough distance to adapt scenes when production realities demanded changes.
“Directing work that I did not write also gave me some distance from the script. I was more receptive to making changes that served the story better given the realities on set that the script could not have accounted for.”
Iyizoba also described joining the anthology alongside Dika Ofoma and Uzoamaka Power as an honour, praising Zikoko and Bluhouse Studios for championing thoughtful storytelling despite limited resources.
“I’m really excited to be part of this second edition of the Zikoko Life Shorts and to be in such good company with phenomenal filmmakers,” he said.
He added that the anthology’s focus on nuanced stories about women and everyday human experiences makes it an important contribution to Nollywood, while commending the producers for proving that compelling filmmaking does not always require enormous budgets.
The second edition of Zikoko Life premiered on YouTube on July 25, featuring three short films directed by Dika Ofoma, Uzoamaka Power and Kaelo Iyizoba
