With Difficulty Comes Ease

This powerful tale of faith, love, family and betrayal is better than I expected and I had high expectations based on the trailer. The potrayal of religious converts/reverts is one that we do not see often on screen. Interestingly the fallout of conversion from Christianity to islam is not the centerpiece of this story. It's a story of a woman who has lost her husband and now has to pick up the pieces to avoid financial ruin. The movie could have been called iddah, as the whole movie takes place during this period in the life of Ene/Zainab the main protagonist, where she mourns her dead husband. There is a love story there but it is not the main story, yet the love story is very well done as we find two characters whose faith journeys are similar but whose paths were slightly different. The family dynamics and seamless use of Hausa while celebrating the ethnic and religious diversity of Nigeria was very tender and intentional. This might be where Ummi Baba Ahmed will get the acting accolades she deserves. Her understated relatable portrayal of Hajiya, a mother in mourning and an abrasive mother in law is a masterclass in immersive acting. A good watch, the tender moment where zainab speaks hausa to her mother in law and breaks her, will bring a few tears. Loved it.