The Fire and The Moth

Violence and mayhem ensue after a smuggler escapes with a rare Ife bronze head into a gritty western Nigerian town.

  • Taiwo Egunjobi
    Director
    A Green Fever, All Na Vibes, Crushed Roses, In Ibadan
  • Isaac Ayodeji
    Writer
    A Green Fever, All Na Vibes, Crushed Roses
  • Emiola Fagbenle
    Producer
    A Green Fever, All Na Vibes
  • Tayo Faniran
    Key Cast
    "Saba"
    Ada Omo Daddy
  • Jimmy Jean Louis
    Key Cast
    "Contractor"
    The Goat Life
  • Ini Dima-Okojie
    Key Cast
    "Abike"
    Blood Sisters
  • Olarotimi Fakunle
    Key Cast
    "Opa"
    Gang of Lagos
  • William Benson
    Key Cast
    "Teriba "
    A Green Fever
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 36 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 31, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    Nigeria
  • Country of Filming:
    Nigeria, United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    21:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Taiwo Egunjobi

Taiwo Egunjobi is a Nigerian screenwriter and film director. He holds a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Ibadan. Egunjobi wrote and produced short films as a student before transitioning to feature screenwriting in Nollywood, including Gidi Blues, The Grudge, and Sidi Ilujinle.

His directorial debut In Ibadan (2020) premiered at Zuma Film Festival, earning a Best Actor nomination, and won Best Film at Kwara Film Festival. His second feature All Na Vibes (2021) opened Nollywood Week Paris and screened at the International African Film Festival in Argentina.

Egunjobi's third film A Green Fever (2023) had its world premiere at the African International Film Festival before being released on Amazon Prime Video in 2024. His influences include Yasujuro Ozu, Tunde Kelani, and Quentin Tarantino

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Director Statement

The screenplay for The Fire and The Moth, written by Isaac Ayodeji, is a continuation of one of my favorite classic thriller ideas: a man on the run. Tayo Faniran’s character, Saba, is a doomed smuggler tasked with delivering a stolen Ife Bronze head, only to find himself pursued by those willing to kill for it. My approach to the film is minimalist; no excessive gestures, no wasted language, just the raw weight of action and consequence. The story unfolds in a border town in southwestern Nigeria, a place where dense forests loom at the edges, both lush and isolating. Nature’s beauty masks its dangers, just as the film’s characters navigate unseen threats. Every shot is composed yet unembellished, allowing the world itself to shape the tension. Fadamana Okwong’s cinematography plays a crucial role in this, using wide frames to immerse the characters in their environment rather than separate them from it.Casting was another essential element. Tayo Faniran brings a quiet, restrained intensity to Saba, a man running toward a fate he cannot escape. Jimmy Jean-Louis’s Arsonist looms like a mythic force of nature, relentless and inevitable, while Ini Dima-Okojie’s Abike is both weary and scheming, making choices that spiral beyond her control.
Ultimately, The Fire and The Moth is about a man who cannot outrun retribution, and the cost of greed in a lawless world. Through Saba’s journey, the film explores how every bad decision is an invitation to chaos, and whether anyone can truly escape the fire they’ve ignited.