FILM AND MARITAL CRISES RESOLUTION: AN EVALUATION OF MARRIED BUT LIVING SINGLE

Abstract

Film as a veritable medium of sensitization and changer of the human psyche has not been fully aligned and used as a counselling  intervention model to curb marital crises in the Nigerian space. Marital crises stem from incompatibility of couples, intolerance, early marriage, infidelity, lack of courtship before marriage, sexual dissatisfaction, impatience and external influence. Nigeria has recorded a large number of marital conflicts, broken homes and deaths of couples as a result of these factors. This study explores the potential of film as a viable instrument of conflict management in marriages, and how to fully adopt it to sensitize couples and those on the verge of getting married. The study also investigates the filmmakers’ use of movies in their peace advocacy regarding marriages analysing Femi Brainerd’s Married but Living Single (2012) as a case study that exposes some of the harrowing experiences and their causes in marriages. The researcher adopted the mixed method of research which employs various approaches such as interviews, content analysis, and primary and secondary data collection. Hence, the research found out that tolerance, patience, prayers, forgiveness and understanding are key vehicles that can drive marriages without havoc. Therefore, the paper recommends that there should be a culture of the annual cinemagoing season in all states, specifically for the viewing of films that their thematic preoccupations centre on marital-related issues. Also, filmmakers, marriage counsellors and related professionals should work together to enlighten the targeted couples and intending couples about the power of film in changing the human psyche and exposing the danger of marital conflicts and how it can educate them on most of these critical issues concerning marriage. This study is hinged on Media Dependency Theory.