Poster NAKOM

A film I missed when it made its world premiere earlier this year at the Berlinale (the Berlin International Film Festival) – a historic debut because it was the first film from Ghana to ever screen at the Berlinale, and the first feature film made in the Kusaal language, spoken primarily in northern Ghana by around 400,000 people.

Titled “Nakom,” the drama follows Iddrisu, a talented medical student, who returns to Nakom, his home village in northern Ghana, to repay a debt that threatens to destroy his family, after his father’s sudden death. Over the course of a growing season, Iddrisu confronts both the tragedy and beauty of village life, and must finally choose between two very different futures – one for himself in the city, or one for his family and entire village.

Co-directed by Kelly Daniela Norris and TW (Trav) Pittman (who also co-wrote the script with Isaac Adakudugu, who is from Nakom), the film is described as an intimate yet universal story, full of remarkable characters, centered on one man’s search for independence while feeling the pull of responsibility for his family. It’s about the contrasts and ironies of contemporary life versus traditional village ways. While the actual village of Nakom does not have electricity or running water, Facebook is accessible on mobile phones.

The film stars Jacob Ayanaba leading a cast of talented non-actors, nearly all from Nakom, including Grace Ayariga, Abdul Aziz, Justina Kulidu, James Azudago and Felicia Atampuri.

“Nakom” was filmed on location, by the way.

A Ghanaian-American co-production, the film certainly reads and looks (based on the below trailer) like a noteworthy achievement, and I’m looking forward to checking it myself out eventually.

It continues to travel the international film festival circuit.

Trailer: