Man of Her Dreams marks a new creative chapter for Martha Ehinome, as she expands her storytelling footprint beyond screen performance.
By Joseph Jonathan
Martha Ehinome, best known for her compelling turn as Tumi in Showmax’s Wura (2023), has completed production on Man of Her Dreams, her first project as an executive producer. The film, directed by Moses Ipadeola, signals a noteworthy shift for the actor, who has steadily built a career across projects like The Herbert Macaulay Affair (2019), The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi (2023), and others. Now, she steps into a new creative role, leading a story she co-wrote and shepherding it from concept to screen.
Man of Her Dreams follows Naya, a woman in her late twenties whose longing for connection leads her to Kene, a man who seems to embody everything she has hoped for, until she discovers that the truth of who he is disrupts the fantasy she’s built around love. The film situates Naya at a crossroads where romance, reality, and self-preservation collide, exploring the emotional fractures that appear when desire clashes with unsettling truth.
Ipadeola, whose Ekun Iyawo: A Tale of a Runaway Bride screened at several festivals to a warm reception, brings a steady hand to the story’s psychological and spiritual textures. The film is produced under Ehinome’s newly established banner, ME & Co, with Emmanuel Izuoba (Christmas in Lagos) serving alongside her as producer.
Working from a script co-written by Ehinome and Gbolahan Akitunde, Man of Her Dreams frames yearning not as a simple emotional state but as a terrain shaped by culture, intuition, and the choices that define adulthood. The cinematography, led by Fadamana Okwong (The Artifact, A Green Fever, In Ibadan), leans into intimate visuals and soft contrasts, while Joy Kadiri (Gangs of Lagos (2023), Christmas in Lagos (2024)) shapes the film’s art direction and visual language.
For Ehinome, the project represents a moment of artistic arrival. “I’ve told stories in different forms over the years, but bringing this one to the screen is the actualisation of something I’ve wanted for a very long time,” she said. “It’s bold, it’s emotional, it’s layered, and it weaves in things I love: our culture, our spirituality, and the emotional realities we don’t always talk about.”
The cast brings together a mix of established and emerging voices, including Ehinome herself, Vine Olugu, Ireti Doyle, Gbubemi Ejeye, and Tosin Adeyemi — each contributing to a narrative that demands emotional range and physical presence. Their performances, according to the team, deepen the film’s exploration of vulnerability, longing, and the blurred lines between fear and affection.
As the film moves into post-production, Ehinome hints that Man of Her Dreams sets the tone for her future as a storyteller. “For my career, this project defines the kind of stories I want to keep telling; stories that look simple on the surface but hold deep meaning underneath,” she said. “This is the beginning of that journey.”
A release window is yet to be announced, but the film promises a reflective and emotionally charged exploration of desire, illusion, and the often uncomfortable truths that shape romantic choices.