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Production has officially wrapped on Daddy Bear, an upcoming Nigerian feature film that examines fatherhood, grief and family life through the experiences of a widowed father raising two children.
The film, which is being developed by Cardinal Productions Ltd, is now moving into post-production following the completion of principal photography in Abuja. Daddy Bear is being led by an all-women creative team and has received support through Africa No Filter’s Entertainment and Media Hubs Program.
The story centres on Fahd, a father whose life changes dramatically after the death of his wife during childbirth. Left to care for a newborn and his pre-teen daughter, he must navigate the responsibilities of parenting while dealing with the emotional consequences of losing his partner.
Beyond its focus on loss, the film explores the realities of caregiving, the relationship between parents and children, and Muslim family life. Through Fahd and his children, Daddy Bear aims to present a personal account of how families adapt when confronted with grief and major changes.
Jammal Ibrahim leads the cast as Fahd, with Ame Aiyejina playing Zahra and Chidera Osadebe portraying Aisha. The cast also includes Ummi Baba Ahmed as Aunty Kike, Japaree Ben-Hirki as Khadijah and Musa Muhammad Abdullahi as Imam Zakariyyah.
The project originated from Hajarat Alli, who took the story to Cardinal StoryWorks, the script development arm of Cardinal Productions. Alli subsequently developed the screenplay with co-director Korede Azeez.
For Alli, the completion of the film represents the transformation of an idea into a collaborative creative project. She said seeing the story develop from the written page into a finished production has been a meaningful experience, particularly because of the response it generated among members of the crew.
Alli, who graduated from the EbonyLife Creative Academy in 2021, previously wrote the award-winning short film Monitoring Spirit. Her co-director, Azeez, has worked on projects including the Netflix-UNESCO anthology film Halima’s Choice and directed It Blooms in June as part of the First Features Initiative. She also recently directed With Difficulty Comes Ease.
Producer Fulfilment “Fuchi” Nwaturuocha has been attached to Daddy Bear since the screenplay stage. Her personal connection to the story is particularly significant, having grown up with a widowed father following the loss of her mother.
Nwaturuocha is also interested in exploring alternative ways independent Nigerian films can reach audiences.
She has expressed interest in community cinema as a possible distribution and audience-development strategy, allowing films to reach viewers through smaller, shared screening experiences outside the traditional cinema structure.
Daddy Bear becomes the second film on Cardinal Productions’ slate and is expected to be released later in 2026. With its focus on family, bereavement, parenting and community, the film is positioned as a drama that approaches grief through the everyday experiences of those left behind.
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