Emmanuel Iren, the Lead Pastor and Founder of Celebration Church International, has revealed that he shot his new film ‘Meltdown’ twice after deciding that the original version needed more balance.

Speaking at the film’s watch party, Iren, who executive produced the movie, said the decision led to a rewrite, the addition of a new character and the casting of Timini Egbuson, who was not part of the original production.

“I shot this movie twice,” Iren said. “I was already done with the movie and I needed more balance to the story, so we rewrote the script and added a new character.”

Egbuson’s character was therefore introduced after the original version had already been completed.

The decision, Iren explained, was driven by his commitment to the story’s message rather than preserving the version that had already been made.

“Timini Egbuson was actually not originally in the movie,” he said. “That just tells you that what matters more to me is the lesson. So the story needed more balance.”

In ‘Meltdown’, Alfred, played by Efa Iwara, is an aggressive young man whose unresolved trauma and anger repeatedly damage his relationships, career and personal life. After growing up in a violent home where his father killed his mother, Alfred is eventually forced to confront the possibility that he is contributing to the destruction around him.

Emmanuel Iren says the film’s central message is captured in the phrase “heal before you deal”.

“If you don’t deal with your trauma, if you keep avoiding it, you will hurt many people you love,” he said. “And you will not be in a position to accept the love that people are willing to give.”

Iren also described ‘Meltdown’ as an extension of how he sees his creative work before revealing that this was his first feature film as an executive producer before writing and producing ‘What About Us?’, which was released in cinemas in July 2024.

“This is the actual me,” he said, describing himself as a “cultural architect” and arguing that theology can extend beyond the confines of the church to influence how people think and shape society.

The film’s focus on unresolved trauma also informed the performances of its cast.

Iwara said Alfred’s experience is relatable because of the prevalence of unresolved personal issues, while noting that therapy remains relatively uncommon in Nigeria and parts of Africa.

Asked what he personally confronted through Alfred, Iwara pointed to vulnerability and the importance of sharing difficult experiences rather than suffering in isolation.

“A lot of times people are going through something on a personal level and they just keep it to themselves and suffer alone,” he said.

Omowunmi Dada, who plays her namesake and Alfred’s love interest, took the argument further, advocating therapy as a way for people to examine the effects of their upbringing.

“You are largely a product of your upbringing, and you don’t have to stay that way,” Dada said. “You definitely can become better and you should become better.”

Dada also disclosed that she has personally benefited from therapy, arguing that seeking it should not necessarily be viewed as evidence that something is wrong with a person.

Director Kayode Kasum said the story’s exploration of anger was one of the reasons he wanted to make the film.

“Being Nigerian, we don’t understand something about anger,” Kasum said, describing Alfred’s tendency to bottle up his emotions until they eventually explode.

Kasum also reflected on his own experiences with professional frustration, saying that he approaches difficult periods in filmmaking as problems to solve rather than situations in which he expects everything to go smoothly.

“My own therapy is talking with my friends,” he said, describing a support group of filmmakers and non-filmmakers with whom he discusses life and work.

The film’s casting was another significant part of its development. Producer Bisola Badejo said she pushed for Iwara to play Alfred after watching his previous work, while Kasum was responsible for pairing Iwara with Olumide Oworu, who plays the younger version of the character.

‘Meltdown’ stars Efa Iwara, Omowunmi Dada, Timini Egbuson, Bucci Franklin, Darasimi Ogbetah, Jemima Osunde, Eso Dike, and Olumide Oworu.

Iren serves as story and executive producer, with Omobola Akinde and Feyifunmi Oginni producing. Kasum directed from a screenplay by Emmanuel “Mannie” Oiseomaye, with additional writing by Laju Iren and Ife Olujuyigbe.

Produced by Narrative Entertainment and distributed by Filmporte, ‘Meltdown’ is currently available to watch on demand worldwide via Filmporte.

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