Pastor Kenny Wale-Adeduro has shared details of how she used artificial intelligence to produce a new Christian movie titled “When Heaven Closed the Sky on Her,” which is scheduled to debut on September 19, 2026.
The 53-minute film was produced by Walkem Films and created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. According to Wale-Adeduro, AI was used in several aspects of the production, including the cast, theme songs and other technical elements.
The movie is an adaptation of her Christian family novel, “Ash Saturday,” which was first published in 2022.
Wale-Adeduro explained that the idea of turning the novel into a movie began after readers encouraged her to bring the story to the screen.
She said her journey into AI filmmaking began earlier this year after she participated in online training programmes. She subsequently decided to use the knowledge she gained to turn her story into a film.
According to her, the production took approximately four months because she wanted the final product to reflect the story as she had originally imagined it.
“I relied on God and AI tools,” she said, explaining that artificial intelligence helped her create different aspects of the production.
She revealed that AI tools were also used to create the movie’s music. For the theme songs and other musical elements, she described the sound she wanted and used Suno AI to turn her ideas into compositions.
The filmmaker said the technology also helped her create locations and scenes across different countries.
She explained that the detailed descriptions of clothing, houses and cars contained in her novel made it easier to translate her imagination into visual scenes using AI.
One of the major advantages of the approach, according to Wale-Adeduro, was the reduced cost of production.
She disclosed that the entire project cost about ₦300,000, considerably less than what she estimated a conventional production would have cost.
She said traditional filmmaking involving human actors, physical locations and a full production crew would have required millions of naira.
However, she noted that AI filmmaking also comes with its own challenges.
Wale-Adeduro said AI does not always produce the desired result on the first attempt. She revealed that she sometimes had to regenerate a 10-second scene more than 20 times before getting the result she wanted.
Despite the challenges, she described the project as a successful experiment that demonstrated the opportunities available to filmmakers who are willing to explore AI technology.
The movie tells the story of Omolola, a young widow whose life changes dramatically following the sudden death of her husband.
Pregnant and grieving, Omolola is falsely accused of poisoning her husband and becomes caught up in family conflict, greed, persecution and manipulation.
Through the difficult experiences she encounters, she learns to trust God even when she does not understand what is happening in her life.
Wale-Adeduro said the central message of the movie is that God’s silence should not be mistaken for God’s absence.
She encouraged viewers to resist fear, bitterness and revenge during difficult seasons and continue to trust in God’s sovereignty.
The film also encourages Christians to remain committed to God’s Word, forgive people who hurt them and continue pursuing their purpose despite uncertainty.
The movie is scheduled to be shown through watch parties in several locations, including different parts of Lagos, with additional viewing locations in Ondo State.
Beyond the movie, Wale-Adeduro has also begun using her experience to train other people interested in AI filmmaking.
She has developed an AI training programme and written a practical guide titled “The AI Filmmaker’s Playbook” for aspiring AI filmmakers.
Wale-Adeduro said she does not believe AI will necessarily eliminate traditional filmmaking or replace creative professionals. Instead, she views the technology as another tool that can give creators access to production possibilities that were previously expensive or difficult to achieve.
The filmmaker’s project highlights the growing use of artificial intelligence in Nigeria’s creative industry, particularly among independent filmmakers seeking less expensive ways to develop films and other visual content.
