* Directed by Hajarat Alli and Korede Azeez, film explores Muslim fatherhood, challenges of single parenting
Nigerian film production company, Cardinal Productions, has released the official poster for Daddy Bear, a family drama exploring fatherhood, grief and the challenges of raising children after the death of a spouse.
Directed by Hajarat Alli and Korede Azeez, the film follows Fahd, an Abuja-based architect who becomes a single father to his 10-year-old daughter, Aisha, and a newborn following the death of his wife, Khadijah.
Set in a multicultural Muslim household, the film celebrates fathers who strive to fulfil their responsibilities while navigating the challenges of parenting, loss and family life.
Jammal Ibrahim plays Fahd, alongside Dera Osadebe as Aisha, Ummi Baba-Ahmed as Aunty Kike, Ame Aiyejina as Zahra and Ijapari Ben-Hirki as Khadijah.
Poster highlights fatherhood, faith
The newly unveiled poster features Fahd standing with his back to the camera, carrying his sleeping newborn on his shoulder in front of a prayer rug.
The imagery brings together themes of fatherhood, faith and grief, with the prayer rug’s rust, gold and slate-blue colours setting the visual tone for the film.
The poster was designed by Iyebiye ‘Kaizen’ Adeitan, whose previous film design credits include Ayinla, Call of My Life, Ajosepo and THE FOUR.
Speaking on the creative direction, Alli said the image of Fahd carrying his baby became the emotional centrepiece of the poster.
“The image of Fahd carrying the baby on his shoulder became our emotional anchor. We wanted our audience to relate to the relationship between a father and his child before they know anything else about the film,” she said.
The film’s producer, Fulfilment ‘Fuchi’ Nwaturuocha, said the production explores the responsibilities associated with fatherhood and caregiving.
“Daddy Bear is about fatherhood, caregiving and the responsibility that comes with both. We wanted a poster that says that without a single word,” she added.
Film to debut through community screenings
Unlike conventional cinema releases, Daddy Bear will reach audiences through community screenings, with advance screenings scheduled to begin in November 2026.
Ticketed screenings are expected to commence in early 2027, while venues and specific dates will be announced through the film’s social media platforms.
The film is directed by Alli and Azeez and produced by Azeez and Nwaturuocha. It is supported by the Entertainment & Media Hubs programme of CcHUB Creative Economy Practice, in partnership with Africa No Filter.
About the production companies
Daddy Bear is a feature film produced by Cardinal Productions Ltd, an Abuja-based film and media production company founded by Azeez.
The company’s previous productions include Halima’s Choice, which was associated with Netflix and UNESCO, With Difficulty Comes Ease and It Blooms in June, available on Amazon Prime Video.
The film’s story was written by Alli, while the screenplay was developed by Alli and Cardinal StoryWorks.
The production is also supported by Africa No Filter, an advocacy organisation that uses storytelling to challenge stereotypical narratives about Africa and promote stories reflecting the continent’s progress, innovation and opportunities.
CcHUB is a pan-African creative and innovation ecosystem enabler focused on accelerating the application of social capital and technology for economic prosperity across Africa.
Interested audiences can follow @daddybearfilm on Instagram, X and TikTok for updates on screenings and other announcements.
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