Cheta Chukwu’s war drama, Love is a Deeper Shade of Red, joins 11 other exceptional projects selected for this yearlong development lab.
By Emmanuel ‘Waziri’ Okoro
Nigerian writer-director, Cheta Chukwu, has been accepted into the highly coveted Red Sea Lodge 2025, an initiative by Red Sea Labs and the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. Chukwu’s war drama, Love is a Deeper Shade of Red, joins 11 other exceptional projects selected for this yearlong development lab.
The Red Sea Lodge offers a dynamic creative training program spanning virtual and in-person sessions. Participants will collaborate with established filmmakers and industry professionals, gaining invaluable insights to refine their projects. The initiative is aimed at nurturing impactful stories from the region and beyond, and Chukwu’s selection marks a significant step in the development of his film.
Producing Love is a Deeper Shade of Red is Manny Orwi Manny, known for his work on Hello Rain and Tainted Canvas, while the project is executive produced by Shiela Nortley, acclaimed for her contributions to Netflix hits, Supacell and Stay Close.
Cheta Chukwu expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “This marks an exciting next phase in the further development of the project. Immensely grateful to God for this incredible opportunity and excited to learn, grow and collaborate with some of the best filmmakers in the world!”.
Chukwu is best known for his breakthrough film, Payday, a coming-of-age crime comedy that captivated audiences across Nigeria and nine Francophone countries before landing on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
His upcoming romantic comedy, Strawberry Chinny, which follows the journey of an irrational cosmetologist navigating heartbreak, is an official selection at the Essence Film Festival 2024. Chukwu recently wrapped production on Adam Bol, a Kazakhstan-Nigerian comedy filmed in both countries.