Sankofa (1993)

A self-absorbed Black American fashion model on a photo shoot in Africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the West Indies where she experiences first-hand the physical and ... See full summary »

Director:

Haile Gerima

Writer:

Haile Gerima

Stars:

Kofi Ghanaba, Oyafunmike Ogunlano, Alexandra Duah

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kofi Ghanaba	...	Sankofa
Oyafunmike Ogunlano	...	Mona
Alexandra Duah	...	Nunu
Nick Medley	...	Joe
Mutabaruka	...	Shango
Afemo Omilami	...	Noble Ali
Reggie Carter	...	Father Raphael
Mzuri	...	Lucy
Jimmy Lee Savage	...	Mussa
Hasinatu Camara	...	Jumma
Jim Faircloth	...	James
Stanley Michelson	...	Mr. Lafayette
John A. Mason	...	Big Boy
Louise Reid	...	Esther
Roger Doctor	...	Nathan

Storyline

A self-absorbed Black American fashion model on a photo shoot in Africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the West Indies where she experiences first-hand the physical and psychic horrors of chattel slavery, and eventually the redemptive power of community and rebellion as she becomes a member of a freedom-seeking Maroon colony.

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Plot Keywords:

west indies | model | fashion | plantation | africa | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA Ghana Burkina Faso UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 May 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sankofa

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,691,899

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Diproci, Ghana National Commission on Culture

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Sankofa" is an Akan word that means that we must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today.

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Connections

Referenced in 500 Years Later (2005)

User Reviews

Why Brothers wear Dark, Dark glasses.....

Na mate, in my usual style, I won't touch on the plot, characters etc .. This is about me and 3 brothers who went to see this film. Some of us were West African, some Horn African (Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia etc), some Caribbean etc.

These usual jovial, come let we make jokes, guys went to see this film. Throughout the entire film we did not look at each other ONCE, at the end we avoided eye contact as we filed out. My jaw was aching from how hard I must have had it clenched to prevent it from opening and releasing floogates of emotions. Those emotions... man, that film showed me just how much pain there is in us, which we have not faced up to (before we were not allowed, but now we can if we are Lion enough to). I'd like to say we all got a wake up call from that film, and went on to find out more about the middle passage which was whitewashed outta of our schooling. But no, interestingly enough unlike the film's shallow model who does face up to the enslavement past, and grows from it. Some of my friends did the opposite and remain just like the model was like in the begining of the movie. And After watching the film -- again and again -- I can understand why.