Award-winning filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele has revealed that her upcoming December film, “Behind The Scenes,” was inspired by a divine instruction.
During Film One end-of-year exhibitor showcase, Akindele revealed that she had initially planned to work on a sequel to her record-breaking film “A Tribe Called Judah”, but kept receiving divine instructions to set it aside.
Despite attempting four other scripts and exploring potential collaborations, Akindele said she felt guided to create “Behind The Scenes,” which she described as deeply relatable and reflective of real-life experiences.
She said: “We were not supposed to release ‘Behind The Scenes’. I actually wanted to release ‘A Tribe Called Judah 2’. We had even started rehearsals, negotiations, you know, training. But the Spirit of God kept telling me, ‘No, you will not shoot that film’.
“We tried, we tried almost four other scripts, lovely scripts, and the Spirit of God said, ‘You are joking’. We even wanted to partner with someone, a fantastic actor and filmmaker, but the Spirit of God said, ‘You’re wasting your time. You will shoot this film.’
“And the idea just came from one scene, and I said, ‘This is relatable’. A lot of people are going through what is happening in this film, what is going to happen, what you are going to see in this movie.”
The film, produced under the Funke Akindele Network, is set to hit cinemas nationwide on December 12, 2025.
“Behind The Scenes” promises to explore the struggles and realities often hidden from the spotlight, offering a story that resonates beyond surface glamour.
The movie boasts a talented ensemble cast, including Tobi Bakre, Veeiye, Uzor Arukwe, Uche Montana, Ini Dima-Okojie and Ibrahim Chatta among others.
Akindele’s decision to pursue “Behind The Scenes” follows her tradition of releasing films in December, which has proven successful with blockbusters like “A Tribe Called Judah” and “Everybody Loves Jenifa.”
These films not only shattered box office records, but also solidified her position as Nollywood’s top-grossing director.