Agnes ("Manifest")
She is a young woman in her mid-twenties who starts noticing changes in her life that echo unsettling parts of her family history. Her struggles are compounded by her mother’s inexplicable behavior and name-calling, which Agnes soon discovers is linked to her grandmother's memory. She is both emotionally and spiritually isolated, trying to navigate a life where past generational trauma looms large. As such, she seeks answers while being haunted by things she cannot fully comprehend.
Pauly ("Masquerade Season")
A quiet and introspective ten-year-old boy who has a special connection to masquerades. His life at home is marked by a deep loneliness. However, it is softened by the comforting presence of his mother and the silent but constant companionship of his three masquerades. Pauly navigates a world of imagination while dealing with the expectations of family and the unspoken demands placed on him as a child. His masquerades represent both protection and identity, as he balances being his mother’s "obedient son" with the magical beings in his life.
Zeme Imoh ("The Wonders of the World")
A new student with a mysterious aura who unsettles his classmates with strange energy and unconventional behavior. He embodies the awkwardness of adolescence mixed with a deeper sense of mystical knowledge that others around him cannot comprehend. Zeme is a character who is both out of place and significant in the world around him, a catalyst for others to confront their discomforts and curiosities.
Felicity ("Birdwoman")
Felicity was born into a life where her parents viewed her as a mistake. She was a child conceived before their marriage and treated as an emblem of their religious guilt. Growing up in an unhappy household, Felicity endured physical and emotional abuse from an older cousin. Despite her efforts to build a successful life as a tailor in Lagos, she remains unable to escape the unhappiness of her youth. Felicity’s story explores the weight of childhood trauma. It shows how it shapes her interactions with others and influences her approach to life as a dissatisfied woman in her mid-forties.
Arit ("The Hollow")
Arit is an ambitious young architect tasked with surveying and renovating a decrepit house. She carries the burdens of her past, notably the inappropriate actions of her uncle who introduced her to architecture. As she inspects the eerie house, Arit is reminded of her trauma and the scars left behind. The house, much like her memories, has become a prison—one that resists change. Arit's journey is marked by her desire to rebuild and forget as the haunted past refuses to let go.
Timi ("Breastmilk")
Timi is a supportive but emotionally distant husband struggling with the aftermath of an affair. His wife, still processing his infidelity, finds herself unable to produce breastmilk for their newborn son, Fi and battles the weight of her emotions in silence. Though he remains uncertain of how to reconnect with his wife, Timi offers everything he can to help. His attempts to be present in their child’s life are overshadowed by his wife’s growing detachment, which leaves him feeling powerless in their relationship.
Salewa ("The Dusk Market")
Salewa is a weathered and lonely woman in her mid-thirties scraping by as a seller of ogogoro (local gin) in Lagos. She lives in a state of quiet desperation, sharing a cramped room with five other petty traders. Despite her harsh circumstances, Salewa is determined and independent having come to Lagos at a young age in search of a better life. One evening, in a state of slight intoxication, she stumbles upon the mystical dusk market where supernatural and human worlds overlap. Her discovery of this eerie market offers a rare moment of warmth and connection in her otherwise isolated existence.
