Funke Akindele Opens Up at the Grand Premiere of Behind the Scenes

The energy at IMAX Lekki on December 7th was warm, joyful and full of love as Funke Akindele walked into the hall for the grand premiere of her new film, Behind the Scenes.

The room was packed with colleagues, friends, dignitaries, fans and supporters of her brand. You could feel how much she valued every single person there. She kept saying how honoured she felt, and it was clear she meant it from the heart.

Funke spoke openly about her journey. She talked about how long she has been at this work and how tiring it can get. There are days when she wonders why she keeps going, but the answer always comes back to the same thing: passion.

She believes deeply in telling African stories in simple, relatable ways. Stories that feel like everyday life. Stories people can see themselves in. That purpose, she said, is what keeps her moving even when the work gets tough.

She also explained the meaning behind the film’s title. For many people, “Behind the Scenes” sounded like a movie about filmmaking. But for her, it is much more personal. She reminded the audience that everyone has moments in their lives that no one sees.

Struggles, delays, stress, emotions, the things we hide behind our smiles. A lot happened for her even before she left home for the premiere, yet she still showed up looking confident and joyful. That, she said, is the reality for many of us. And it is time we start paying attention, loving ourselves more, and putting ourselves first.

Behind the Scenes is Funke’s way of sharing that message through story. She describes it as a film made from her heart, created to entertain but also to touch lives. She invited everyone at the premiere to sit back and enjoy a movie that came from a real place within her.

The film will be released nationwide from December 12th, 2025. If her words and the atmosphere at the premiere are anything to go by, audiences are in for something honest, warm and deeply relatable.