“We decided to use animation as a tool to retell and relive our own stories and the stories of our past great men and women, who are superheroes to us and to project our history” _Jesse Sunkwa-Mills
“The Film Series” an initiative by the Film Artistic Department of the University of Media Arts and Communication, UniMAC NAFTI Campus witnessed an incredible turn-out for the screening of ‘Asantewaa: Battle for the Golden Stool’, an animated historical movie.
The screening of the 3D animated movie brought together over 150 movie lovers to the forecourts of UniMAC NAFTI’s Studio IV’ on June 30th, 2023.
Organizers say they anticipated a good turn-out but were overwhelmed by the numbers that showed up as the seats available were filled with many more standing to watch the movie.
Speaking to the news team, Director and lead animator for the movie Jesse Sunkwa-Mills, explains “The Animation ‘Asantewaa’ is a story that depicts the life of the legendary Nana Yaa Asantewaa and how she had to lead an army of men to fight and defend the golden stool which happens to be a scared object of the people of the Ashanti because it was believed to be an embodiment of the people and the spirit and soul of the Ashanti kingdom”.
He further stated that the main aim for Mills Media producing this animated movie is to harness the opportunity to trumpet the need to tell our own stories, our own way, and be able to give them our own exciting twists where necessary in today’s modern media.
He stressed the fact that funding is the number one challenge for animators but despite the financial challenges he and his team are prepared use animation to tell our own stories and so people should expect more.
The first movie screening of the ‘Film Series” drew to the NAFTI campus many prominent people from the media, film, and animation industries.
In attendance were Mr. Samuel Quartey, President of the Animators Association of Ghana, Mr. Bami Baker, a Communication Consultant from Sierra Leone, Dr. Rebecca Ohene-Asah Hesse, Head, Film Artistic Department, UniMAC NAFTI, Mr. Eugene Odame, Head, Production and Business Development of UniMAC NAFTI, Madam Marian Mantey, Head of Public Relations and other dignitaries.
Also in attendance were lecturers from the various departments of UniMAC NAFTI, Ms. Elma Naa Aduah Arday, Mr. Solomon Tettey, and Mr. E. T. Mensah, students, film lovers, invited guests, and more importantly, children.
Dr. Rebecca Ohene-Asah Hesse, Mr. E. T Mensah, Mr. Eyram Evans Adorkor, Mr. Eric Ofori Aryeetey and Mr. George Bosompim constituted the organizing team of the event.
Speaking to Mr. Gorge Bosompim, the team leader of the organizers, he encouraged other filmmakers and animators to get encouragement through the Asantewaa animated movie and endeavor to do more movies on our stories to promote African history and heritage.
He also praised and thanked sponsors of the program, Mr Eric Aryeetey, a.k.a Shaggy, C.E.O of 12:25 Rentals for providing the program with P. A system and a DJ and also, Mr. Johnson Arloo, Co-owner of Natsu Company Limited, producers of Natsu prekese drink who sponsored the program with popcorn and encouraged other alumni of UniMAC NAFTI to also come join hands in sponsoring subsequent programs.
Some patrons of the movie expressed their joy and expectations met. “It was amazing seeing something like this in Ghana because we do not often see something like this, it has always been the Western ones, so seeing this was perfect. I love the effort that went into it, and I’m expecting to see a lot more of this,” says Emmanuel Nakay, an audience.
Lindsey Boakye Yiadom, a final year animation student of UniMAC NAFTI also added “Mills Media did so well with this animation piece, I was expecting more of 2D but it was more of a 3D project. I experienced the cultural values in the contents …I enjoyed how the story was told from beginning to end, I enjoyed the plot, and it has a very good animation sequence, I picked a lot of skills and styles from it.”
“I think the way Jesse put in effort in his work is commendable because 3D animation is not easy and considering the tools available to us and the tools available to other animators, I think Jesse and his team have done well” – Solomon Tettey, Lecturer UniMAC NAFTI.
“Though I had an issue with some of the historical representations in the movie, I think it is a step in the right direction, we barely see animations like this. We need to do more”_ Kwame Addae
Patrons of the first edition of the “Film Series” had praises for Jesse Sunkwa-Mills and his team for such great work and also asked that more screenings of such historical stories be pushed so that Ghanaians will come to sponsor more of such initiatives and also appreciate our history and heritage.
