Uchenna Ugwu’s “I Too, Crave Death” Is A Delicate Reflection On Suicide and Mental Health 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 13 per cent of adolescents between 10 and 19 years globally have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. These disorders often trigger social withdrawal, causing loneliness and becoming a catalyst for suicide. A WHO report cited by The Guardian also indicates that one in four Nigerians suffers from a mental health condition, with young adults increasingly bearing the burden. Awareness around mental health issues has equally been created through Nigerian films, with notable mentions such as Damilola Orimogunje’s For Maria Ebun Pataki which examines postpartum depression, Seun Richards’s At Ease which mirrors a war veteran’s battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, and Mo Abudu’s short film Iyawo Mi which thematizes acute mental breakdown.

Uchenna Ugwu’s short film I Too, Crave Death adds a thoughtful dimension to Nigeria’s growing body of mental health cinema. Written and directed by Ugwu, the film follows a young woman navigating grief, emotional neglect, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Through a conversation with her mother, set almost entirely in a stationary car and delivered mostly in Igbo, the film navigates the delicate relationship between contemporary youth existence, motherhood, social media, and mental health.

Produced by Ismail Omiyera, the film features Amanda Ugo as Chieloka, a young woman whose 19-year-old friend Kaodoli has recently died by suicide. Unknown to her mother, Chieloka is struggling with emotional trauma and suicidal thoughts caused by the loss of her father. She is part of a WhatsApp group of friends facing similar mental health challenges, and together they plan to take their own lives. As the story progresses, Chieloka blames her mother for ignoring her feelings, and the older woman later comes to understand the need to change.

The film raises crucial questions about parenthood and emotional connection: Is motherhood merely about meeting a child’s physical needs? How important is it for Nigerian parents to communicate with their children without resorting to anger, control, or emotional distance? And what role do mothers play in shaping the mental and emotional well-being of their children?

Through the relationship between Chieloka and her mother in the film, Ugwu interrogates pre-existing and outmoded societal constructs around parenting in the Nigerian society, emphasizing the need for the contemporary parent to be more cognizant of their children’s feelings and emotions. It is, in its ironic portrait, a campaign for what modern parenting ought to be, which is vastly different from the lopsided, autocratic tendencies of parenting in the previous generations, where young adults, their voice stifled, are barely permitted to express their thoughts without restrictions. The death of Kaodili takes a swipe at a society where men are discouraged from expressing struggles, whereas Chieloka’s inner conflict and resignation reflect the need for psychological treatment and therapy in overcoming certain kinds of traumatic experiences.

The film portrays social media as a double-edged sword, a digital innovation that is equally as liberating and instrumental as it is complicit and dangerous. While social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp provide room for interaction across borders and also serve as a form of escapism, they can equally be abused and used to encourage extremist beliefs and disturbing behaviours. We see this in the case of Chieloka whose suicidal tendencies are encouraged by her belonging to a WhatsApp community of like-minded peers.

It is best to think of I Too, Crave  Death as a mindful campaign for compassion and sensitivity in human relations. In less than thirty minutes, the film speaks obsessively to grief and the fragile state of mental health with emotional intensity. It urges society to choose hope over despair,  progressive parenting over inherited conservatism, and empathetic communication over dismissive reactions, regardless of the relationship dynamics at play.

I Too, Crave Death has been screened at  Eastern Nigeria Film Festival (Eniff) where it won Best Short Film, Ibadan Indie Film Awards (IFA), Beeta Arts Festival, Kaduna International Film Festival and Realtime Film Festival. It had an East African premiere at Kitale Film Week where it earned a Best Short Film nomination, and a Southern Africa premiere at the Bantu Film Festival, where it bagged nominations for Best Short Film and Best Actress. Ahead of The Film Joints Awards scheduled for February 2026, it has received nominations for Best Original Screenplay, Best Indigenous Film, and Film Joint Award for Voice of Impact.