Filmmaker, Biodun Stephen says her latest effort, Joba, due for cinema release on April 5, was inspired directly by God as a message that would touch everyone who is married or planning to get married, irrespective of their religion.
Speaking in an interview with eelive.ng, Stephen who in addition to being one of the most prolific filmmakers in Nollywood currently is also an outstanding writer said inspiration for the story came while driving and listening to a song entitled: Jesu Joba by gospel singer, Psalmos featuring Tope Alabi.
“I think it was on replay and it must have been on about the 56th play when I realised that the feeling I got all the time I listened was the same. I just knew that this song was much more to me. I said a short word of prayer ‘Lord show me the story.’ And I began to have a picture of this amazing story. I ran home and got on my computer and I started writing. I didn’t stop writing until the wee hours of the morning. And when I got around to reading what I wrote, I knew it was a gift, this this couldn’t have been me,” Stephen explained.
She explained that she thereafter went ahead to share a post on Instagram about an amazing story that she just wrote and about two days later: “Somebody came into my DM and wrote: “God says I should work with you on this film”. I had never met her before. That was how Christine and I got talking and two months, later, we were ready to shoot the film.”
Speaking about her takeaway from making the film, she said it was the realisation that when God has planned and ordained to do something, he would it regardless and his own way. This was exactly how this story was birthed, the way we raised money to shoot, the way the money came to promote, it is just God ordering our steps. I am just so honoured and blessed to have been chosen to do this.”
Joba, is according to the director, an emotionally gripping story about the challenges of a young Christian couple and the struggle of the man to keep his home together. As is Stephen’s style, Joba has a small cast of seven and primarily shot in one location, which is the home of the two lead characters who also have 85 percent of action time.
Although it is a faith-based story, Stephen is convinced that the film has copious lessons for everyone. She implored film lovers to come and out “to support and see this which is universal, as long as you are a human being, you would relate. The issues are related and preach the message of hope, which is one of the things that makes us human.”
Joba, which will be in cinemas across Nigeria from April 5, has Stephen and Christine Osifuye as Executive Producers. It features Blossom Chukwujekwu, Enado Odigie, Chris Iheuwa, Ronke Ojo, Christine Osifuye.
Watch the trailer
