Since the 1920s, which is when Ghana saw its first traces of film, the Ghanaian film industry has seen an enormous improvement. Just like theatre in Ghana, over the years great films have been produced by very talented Ghanaian movie directors & producers.
Here is a list of Ghanaian films we recommend you to watch.
Best ghanaian movies to watch right now
Burial of Kojo
Written and directed by Ghanaian filmmaker Samuel “Blitz” Bazawule, The Burial of Kojo is an essential human story of courage and survival. The film is told through the eyes of Esi (Cynthia Dankwa), a young girl who recounts her childhood and the tumultuous relationship between her father, Kojo and her uncle, Kwabena.
The film chronicles the tale of two brothers through the gifted eyes of a young girl who transports the audience to the beautiful lands of Ghana and other worlds that exist between life and death.
Azali
A multiple nominated and award winning movie, Azali, directed by Kwabena Gyansah, the film follows the journey of 14-year-old Amina from a village in Northern Ghana to the slums of the bustling capital, Accra.
Amina escapes her impending marriage to a 70-year-old farmer but finds herself on a truck being trafficked to Burkina Faso. A cruel twist of fate sees her rescued from the truck but flung into the bustling city of Accra. Amina has to choose between surviving in Accra and returning to her village and marriage.
Gold Coast Lounge
A black & white afro-noir film directed by Pascal Aka. Set in the nightlife of post-independent Ghana, a crime family must unite and clean up their act before the government shuts down their lucrative lounge. After their leader is mysteriously poisoned, it is up to Daniel (Alphonse Menyo) – the eldest – to take power. While struggling to implement his own ideas about how things should be run, Daniel has to overcome power struggles, love-triangles, tribalism and a murder investigation.
Unlike the first two films we mentioned, it didn’t make it on Netflix apparently because they said black & white films do not perform very well on their platform.
Sidechic gang
Sidechic Gang is a comedy-drama directed by Ghanian film director Peter Sedufia.
The Ghollywood film portrays the lives of three female friends Nana Ama McBrown, Lydia Forson and Sika Osei, who all quit their real jobs as ushers to pursue a job that pays more and better than their old jobs.
The trio, in their quest for greener pastures, caught their friend’s husband committing adultery. After successfully helping their mutual friend investigate her cheating husband, They are paid handsomely. This operation led them to launch their private investigative practice and labelled it ‘Sidechic Gang’.
Keteke
Another film directed by Peter Sedufia, Keteke goes back into time to tell a story that would touch every aspect of Ghanaian society, relationships, traditions, and infrastructure by using humour and sarcasm. The story focuses on the 1980s rail service system in Ghana.
A couple, Boi (Adjetey Anang) and Atswei (Lydia Forson), living in Puna, is bent on delivering their first baby in their home town, Akete. Very close to the childbirth, the couple heads to Akete. Unfortunately, they miss the train, and the train service is the only means of transport from the outskirts to the town. In their haste to get there, they compound their situation with a wrong decision and they find themselves in the middle of nowhere.
Now, will the couple make it on time for the delivery, or, risk losing the baby and mother?
Aloe Vera
Peter Sedufias Aloe Vera addresses the subject of how individuals co-exist, so many happenings in the world where there is so much intolerance for personal choices for people’s culture or way of life.
Everything takes place in Ghana where, at some point, people in one village started a conflict between each other and created two groups – the Aloes and the Veras. They divided the village into two parts and don’t even cross the border or stay in any touch with the people on the other side. Until one day Aloewin (Aaron Adatsi), who’s an Aloe man, and Veralin (Alexandra Ayirebi-Acquah), who’s a Vera woman, found each other attractive and wished to be together. Classic Romeo and Juliet scenario.
Like Cotton Twines
Directed and written by Ghanian moviemaker Leila Djansi, Like Cotton Twines explores how Micah fights against the tribal culture to try and save Tuigi. It’s an independent feature that follows Micah, an American volunteer who goes to Ghana to teach and experience his mother’s homeland.
Micah teaches at a school in a village where he meets Tuigi, a smart 14-year-old student. Tuigi’s fate is changed when her family must atone for an accident committed by her father and, by custom, she must abandon her education and become a Trokosi, a religious sex slave.
Beasts of no Nation
Based on the highly acclaimed novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, “Beasts of No Nation” tells the story of Agu, a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an unnamed African country.
Currently available on Netflix.
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