Dear friends,
I'm the final stretch of making a dream project come true: a short film titled “Kwaku Ananse” starring my beloved uncle nearly approaching 80, legendary ethno-musicologist and total sweetheart, Koo Nimo.
Things have moved faster than I ever expected. I’ve been blessed with the support of the Focus Features Africa First Program and The Sarah Jacobson Film Grant. We shot the film in Ghana this summer and we are almost ready to start post-production.
But we are missing one key element to reach our goal: your support. I need the Indiegogo community’s enthusiasm to make this film a reality.
What our movie is about
“Kwaku Ananse” is an intensely personal project which draws upon the rich mythology of Ghana. The short film combines semi-autobiographical elements with the tale of Kwaku Ananse, a trickster in West African stories who appears as both spider and man. Ananse teaches us that there are two sides to everything and everyone.
The fable of Kwaku Ananse is combined with the story of a young outsider named Nyan Koronhwea attending her estranged father's funeral. Nyan's father led two separate lives with two wives and two families — one in Ghana, one in the United States. Nyan's ambivalence about her father's double life is a reflection of a broader truth about the nature of our personal relationships.
Why help us
Because in a small, but significant way, helping us will help the emerging cinema of an underprivileged country with so many stories to tell and so little resources to do so. Unlike Kwaku Ananse, who sought to hoard wisdom and stories for himself, we hope to give others the means to share theirs.
"Kwaku Ananse" is an effort to preserve a fable my father passed on to me, and in turn to preserve a dying yet immensely rich culture. We hope you'll take part in this special journey alongside us.
How your contribution helps us
Your support helps us finance the post-production the film deserves. With your contribution, we will be able to afford:
About Focus Features Africa First
Focus Features Africa First fosters and develops long-term relationships with some of the most promising up-and-coming filmmakers from continental Africa. With a contribution of $10,000 USD and a mentorship program, Africa First gives filmmakers the opportunity to introduce themselves to an international audience.
About Obibini Pictures LLC
Founded in 2007, Obibini Pictures LLC has produced award-winning films around the world and was established in Ghana to produce alternative African films for international markets. Recent projects include reviving Ghana’s oldest cinema, The Rex Cinema as a creative space for art, music, and film.
About Akosua Adoma Owusu
Akosua Adoma Owusu (born January 1, 1984) is a Ghanaian-American avant-garde filmmaker and producer whose films have screened worldwide in prestigious film festivals, museums, galleries, universities and microcinemas since 2005. Owusu interprets Du Bois’ notion of double consciousness and creates a third identity or consciousness, representing the diverse consciousness of women and African immigrants interacting in African, white American, and black American culture.
About Koo Nimo as Kwaku Ananse
Koo Nimo is Ghana’s most legendary ethno-musicologist. He’s an invaluable cultural treasure who we wish to celebrate.
Credits
OBIBINI PICTURES LLC and Focus Features Africa First present “Kwaku Ananse”
Made with the support of: Focus Features Africa First, Art Matters, and The Sarah Jacobson Film Grant.
Produced by: Obibini Pictures LLC
Written, Directed & Produced by: Akosua Adoma Owusu
Screenplay by: Akosua Adoma Owusu & Iram Parveen Bilal
Cinematography by: Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio
Africa First Program Director: Kisha Cameron-Dingle
Featuring: Jojo Abot, Koo Nimo and Grace Omaboe
Original Music by: Koo Nimo, Ebo Taylor
