By Benjamin Njoku

Award-winning filmmaker and showrunner, Blessing Uzzi is set to lead “Life”, an ambitious new film anthology from Big Cabal Media’s Zikoko, produced in collaboration with BluHouse Studios. Inspired by Zikoko’s editorial franchises, ‘Naira Life’, ‘Sex Life’, and ‘Love Life’, the series, ‘Life’ is a three-part anthology spotlighting women navigating autonomy, intimacy, and identity in contemporary Nigeria.

Uzzi, founder of BluHouse Studios and producer of the AMVCA-winning ‘Freedom Way’, brings her signature style of emotionally resonating storytelling to Life. Known for her ability to ground stories in emotional realism, Uzzi describes the series as “emotional time capsules that portray African women in ways that feel real and rooted.” For her, the true power of “Life” lies in its authenticity. “We’ve worked hard to make them our stories, neither imported nor idealised”, she said.

This marks Uzzi’s first foray into a narrative film series of this nature. “I didn’t want people to just empathise or pity these women. I wanted them to see how these women make deliberate choices to change the course of their lives. They see the world is not fair, and they choose to prioritize themselves,” she said.

The Life series consists of three standalone short films, each centered on a different woman confronting societal expectations:

‘What’s Left of Us’ tells the story of a married woman, Mariam, who decides to stop having children. Her decision begins to unravel everything around her.

The film stars Caleb Richards, Tolu Asanu and is Directed by Victor Daniel and Olamide Adio.

In ‘My Body’, a newlywed couple struggles to consummate their marriage and must confront unspoken fears and rigid beliefs about sex, faith, and desire.

It stars Andrew Yaw Bunting and Uzoamaka Power who also directed it.

‘Something Sweet’ follows a reserved woman in her 40s who finds unexpected joy and tension when she falls for a younger man.

It stars Michelle Dede, Ogranya, Oladozie Chiedoziem, Kanyinsola Erogbogbo and is Directed by Dika Ofoma.

Life is a cinematic extension of Zikoko’s powerful storytelling ethos and part of the broader Zikoko Life initiative, a visual universe built from real, lived experiences.

The Life series consists of three standalone short films, each centered on a different woman confronting societal expectations. It’s a cinematic extension of Zikoko’s powerful storytelling ethos and part of the broader Zikoko Life initiative, a visual universe built from real, lived experiences. The series premiered last month on Zikoko’s YouTube channel, and Uzzi hopes its bold storytelling will not only stir emotion but spark meaningful conversations. “These are stories that challenge our norms and perceptions. My hope is that people are moved, and moved enough to talk,” she adds.