A new Nigerian dramedy is set to explore what really happens when your 30th birthday does not go as planned.
Pushing 30 will premiere on October 18 at 8pm on Africa Magic Showcase, DStv channel 151. The film follows Osaze Imafidon, a tech founder who seems to have it all. He has a growing business, a loving girlfriend, close friends and a bright future ahead of him. But on the surface of that success is a man quietly wrestling with the pressure of turning 30 in a world that measures success by milestones.
The story is set at Osaze’s birthday brunch in Lagos. What starts as an intimate celebration soon turns into a day of reckoning. Old rivalries resurface, past relationships come back into focus, career doubts rise to the surface and long buried secrets are revealed. By the end of the party, Osaze and his friends are forced to face the truth behind their seemingly perfect lives.
The film features an ensemble cast made up of Deji Osikoya, Darasimi Ogbetah, Mayowa Mula, Kanaga Emmanuel Eme, Kanyin Eros, Uzor Daniel, Sharon Rotimi, Doris Okorie and Floyd Igbo.
Pushing 30 is directed by Orobosa Ikponmwen, known for his work on Bodmas and Half Of Me. The story was created by Mayowa Mula and Mannie Oiseomaye, with Oiseomaye also writing the screenplay. Oiseomaye’s previous writing credits include Introducing The Kujus, Smart Money Woman and Under The Influence.
Mula also serves as executive producer on the project. He previously held the same role on The Little Things, which was released in 2022. Desmond Ebuwa Ekunwe, whose credits include Grown and All Of Us, is the line producer.
At its core, Pushing 30 pushes back on the idea that turning 30 should come with a checklist of achievements already ticked off. The film looks at love, career, friendship, marriage and personal growth, and the pressure many young adults feel to have their lives figured out by a certain age.
With its mix of humour, romance and emotional drama, Pushing 30 offers a relatable look at adulthood in Lagos. It asks audiences to rethink what it truly means to have your life together.
Pushing 30 premieres October 18 at 8pm on Africa Magic Showcase, DStv channel 151.
