SC-S28/W2-Movie Highlights|Based on True Events(Redemption)

Steem greetings, guys, from the motherland, Cameroon, and welcome to my blog, where I will share my thoughts on the learning challenge topic “Movie Highlights: Based on True Events". Before sharing my thoughts, I will invite @suboohi, @heraidi and @edgargonzalez to share their entries to the challenge.

The movie I watched is a South African movie on Netflix titled “Redemption”. Redemption follows the powerful Zikode family, leaders of a large megachurch. Their world unravels when Pastor Simon Zikode suddenly disappears. His daughter, Faith, puts her rising music career on hold to return home. She begins searching for the truth behind her father’s disappearance. Faith uncovers hidden secrets within the church and her own family.

^{Image taken from Netflix.}

Lies, betrayal, and corruption start to surface as she digs deeper. The church’s reputation becomes threatened by growing scandals. Family members clash as loyalties and motives become unclear. Faith was faced with a choice to choose between protecting her family and exposing the truth. The story explores power, faith, sin, and the struggle for redemption.

Did the movie make you more curious about the real-life story?

After watching the movie, I was more curious about the themes of church scandals, family secrets, and corruption within the church nowadays, especially in Cameroon.

The movie portrays realistic megachurch politics where there is infighting within the church over who will succeed the church leadership after the death of the main resident pastor.

Church scandals nowadays are alarming especially in Cameroon as even criminals disguise themselves as pastors to run a church to cover their dirty tracks and also escape paying taxes.

Which scene or moment felt the most powerful or emotional?

The scene where Faith’s fiancé discovers that the general behind the criminal acts in the church was actually his own mother is incredibly emotional because it forces him to confront a truth that destroys his sense of identity. In just a few seconds, his loyalty, his morals, and his love for his family are all ripped apart.

^{Image from Netflix.}

He was not only angry but devastated because discovering that his own mother was the mastermind behind the corruption in the church felt like a deep betrayal. The moment becomes even more powerful because when he realises he may have unknowingly supported the wrong side. He feels torn between exposing her and protecting her.

His relationship with Faith becomes more complicated, because her family is also being destroyed by the same crimes. It is a scene filled with shock, heartbreak, and moral conflict, and it changes the course of the story for both characters.

What lessons did you learn from the true story portrayed?

Watching Redemption made me reflect deeply on the realities of power, family, and truth. I realised how important it is to stay grounded in integrity, because even the people we trust the most can make harmful choices when power blinds them. Seeing how the Zikode family’s secrets slowly came to light reminded me that hiding the truth only creates more pain later.

I also felt challenged by the idea of loyalty. Sometimes we want to protect the people we love, but the movie showed me that blind loyalty can trap us in situations that go against our values.

Faith’s courage also inspired me. She taught me that facing the truth, even when it breaks your heart, is ultimately the path to freedom.

^{Image from Netflix.}

Most of all, Redemption made me think about the importance of choosing my own path. No matter what background I come from, I have the power to define who I become. The movie reminded me that doing the right thing may cost relationships or comfort, but it leads to real growth and healing.

Through its characters, I learned that forgiveness is difficult, but it is a step toward rebuilding what was broken inside me and that is the moment when true healing begins.

How did it make you feel about the people or time period it represented?

Redemption made me feel a deep mixture of empathy, shock, and awareness about the people and the world it portrays. It showed me how, even in modern times, communities can still be deeply influenced by religious leaders and powerful institutions. I felt sympathy for the ordinary people who trusted the church completely, not knowing what was happening behind closed doors.

The movie also made me realise how complicated life can be for families living under public pressure. I felt sad seeing how the Zikodes had to maintain a perfect image while their private lives were falling apart. It made me more aware that people in influential positions often live with heavy expectations and secrets they feel they can not share.

Most importantly, Redemption made me reflect on the time period we live in, a time where corruption, crimes, and moral compromise still happen within the church. The movie mirrors real issues in today’s society. It left me feeling more alert, more critical, and more understanding of how easily power can be abused, and how brave someone must be to stand up for the truth.