'Our Day’ is one of 43 feature and narrative films to debut at this year’s London International Pan-African Film Festival (London PAFF) from 18 to 25 October.
AKADi Magazine caught up with filmmaker and producer Akua Abedi-Boafo to find out what inspired her coming-of-age film short set in Accra, her future plans and her connections to award-winning artist Mary-Jo Adjetey.
Congratulations on getting 'Our Day' selected to the London PAFF. It’s such a sweet film that shifts the storytelling about Black/African people away from stereotypical poverty porn narratives to stories that celebrate our humanity and everyday life. With that in mind, tell us why you wanted to make this film?
Thank you so much! I wanted to create a film that moved away from the stereotypical view of Africa and highlighted its richness, beauty, and diversity. With the drone shots, we intentionally showcased both lower and higher economic areas to reflect the different socioeconomic backgrounds of Kofi and David.
But above all, I made this film to centre African children—who are often silenced, not only on screen but within African culture. For example, it’s rare for a child’s opinion to be considered valuable when speaking to an elder, children are normally overlooked.
For me, also growing up in East London, I wanted to be an actress, but I rarely saw people like me on screen, which made it hard to envision it as a reality. Due to this, it was important for me to use this opportunity to show African children on screen, allowing them to see themselves and aspire to more than what surrounds them as the creative arts are often undervalued in our culture.
Furthermore, the film is a piece of escapism—a fictional adventure where the audience can see characters who look like them and can fantasise about being part of that journey. Creating this film was a deeply personal experience for me.
How easy or challenging was it to pitch this storyline to funders and get cinemas willing to support the screening?
Funders and sponsors were quite receptive to the vision and the importance of making ‘Our Day’ accessible to the public. I believe that being a young woman with a clear vision to break boundaries was inspiring to them, which made it easier for them to support what we were doing with the film.
You moved to Accra for the first time to make ‘Our Day’ at the age of 21, during the pandemic. Were you scared, excited, or both? What was that experience like, and what were your highlights and challenges?
Oh wow, yes, all those emotions were definitely at play! There was a lot of fear because it was such a big project, and I needed courage to bring it to life, even for things like organising rehearsals.
Imposter syndrome can easily creep in, but I had to push through. However, I was also incredibly excited because I truly believed in the vision of ‘Our Day.’
Some of the challenges were financial—our budget was extremely low, so we had to be very resourceful. We did manage to pay all the actors, and raising money in pounds helped since it went further in cedis. One of the highlights was collaborating with an amazing and supportive team in Ghana, especially considering it was my first film, that's so needed.
How did you find working in Ghana as a young British-Ghanaian female?
It was definitely challenging. I faced more difficulties due to my nationality and age rather than my gender. In Ghana, younger people working with significantly older colleagues sometimes don’t receive the respect they deserve, which can negatively impact the working environment at times. Additionally, being British Ghanaian, there was an assumption that I had a lot of money, so I was often charged more for things like locations.
Tell us more about the three youngsters in the film – are they seasoned actors, or was this their first film?
Surprisingly, this was the first time any of them acted in a film! Ohene Sarpong had no previous acting experience, while Kofi Abrebheseh and Oreila Naa Ami Quartey had done some work in commercials. And Oreila had also been on reality TV, placing 3rd in TV3 Talented Kids. They all did an incredible job, especially for their first time acting.
"Representing Ghana properly was crucial to me, and showcasing local talent was a key part of that effort."
We just profiled artist Mary-Jo Adjetey on our platform – the artist who created the painting David gives to Esther at the end of the film. Why was it important to include the work of homegrown artists and fashion designers in the film?
Funnily enough, Mary-Jo is my first cousin! She’s an amazing artist, and there was no better person to create the artwork for the film. It was essential to feature artists and designers from Ghana to add authenticity to the storytelling. Representing Ghana properly was crucial to me, and showcasing local talent was a key part of that effort.
One thing that struck me about the film was how it tackled David’s struggle with being obedient versus following his desires. In a country like Ghana, where children’s obedience is often prioritised over fulfilling personal desires, how was this film received in Ghana? And did reactions differ in Britain/USA/elsewhere in the West?
Surprisingly, the reception was cohesive between audiences in the UK and Ghana, which demonstrates the universal nature of art and the shared experiences within the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. In Ghana, the film was described as "refreshing," which was exactly the kind of response I had hoped for and was extremely fulfilled with.
Let’s go back to the beginning. I read that you started out in acting. Who or what inspired you to get into filmmaking?
Watching TV was a huge part of my childhood, I remember watching Disney Channel and desperately wanting to be on it—that’s where my love for acting started.
My older sister and cousin also acted, and I’m sure their performances influenced me unconsciously. A vivid memory I have is from Year 7 when the BBC came to my secondary school.
Some of my classmates were cast in a show, and I remember wanting so badly to be part of it. I even watched it online, hoping to catch a glimpse of myself as an extra. Acting was my whole heart, and I would have given anything to be an actress.
I read that while studying in the USA, you were inspired to write a poem every week for UK Black History Month on Blackness, empowerment, and amplifying truths. What else from your US experience have you taken forward into your filmmaking career?
Filmmaking aha! While in the USA in 2020, this is where my filmmaking journey started because I actually learned directing, and that’s where the idea to start my production company, AAB Productions, was born. I returned to London that summer and kicked it off.
"I'm currently interested in using AAB to help young Black boys from low socioeconomic backgrounds starting hopefully with my area Newham."
Tell us more about your company AAB Productions – how do you support the next generation of filmmakers and actors?
AAB Productions is focused on creating video content that centres underrepresented voices. We provide opportunities for upcoming filmmakers to create, evolve, and network within the film and TV industry.
For example, we host networking events and allow emerging talent to explore roles they’ve never had the chance to take on. The screenwriters for 'Our Day’ were writing their first film! We also serve as an informational resource, making industry information accessible, as it’s often quite exclusive.
What’s next for AAB Productions? A feature film? More films set in Ghana?
When you live a life submitted to God you never really know what's next. But I definitely want to explore a lot more series, shorts and feature films that continue to break stereotypes and spotlight silenced voices.
I'm currently interested in using AAB to help young Black boys from low socioeconomic backgrounds starting hopefully with my area Newham, as well as events for women in film and TV, so we’ll see how that manifests over these last few months of the year.
I’m also interested in creating films based on Ghanaian folklore, which was actually inspired by conversations with Mary-Jo’s parents about the importance of preserving these stories on screen. Shout out to Uncle and Auntie! Maybe we’ll even see 'Our Day' as a series one day.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Go watch the film! And please share it with as many people as possible. Follow us on Instagram @aabproductions and follow myself @akuaaa_ I’ll be accepting scripts soon to see what we can produce.
London PAFF is an annual film event that celebrates Pan-African films produced in Africa and the Diaspora.
‘Our Day’ screens on 20 October at 4.55pm and follows with a Q&A with Akua.
Another film by a Ghanaian (Nana Kwabena) will feature earlier on the same day called: 'To End All Spells'. You can find out more about the line-up of films during the festival here.
The contents of this page are based on questions sent by AKADi Magazine to Akua Abedi-Boafo and cannot be reproduced without permission.
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