A young Nigerian man travels to a remote, African Pentecostal church with his ailing wife.

Director’s Vision

I was born and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, the birthplace of African Pentecostalism, as a result, faith and spirituality has always been a very important and consistent part of my life. It is a subject I feel incredibly drawn to because I have personally experienced a healing service in a church in the mountains. I visited one in Nigeria when I was in my early teens and it was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. I witnessed a lot of things I could not explain or understand, that experience formed the central theme of MARIANNE.

The central crux of the story focuses on a young Nigerian/British man who takes his atheistic, terminally ill wife to an African, Pentecostal church because he truly believes that God can cure her illness. With this story, I want to explore the concept of faith and healing but also, and equally as important, love and death. At some point in our lives, we have experienced love and also mourned loved ones – love and death are universal themes that connects us all, regardless of our background, culture or religion. At its core, this film is a love story about a man who passionately wants to save the woman he loves, a narrative I feel, transcends cultural and racial boundaries.