This research explores cinematic storytelling as a means of challenging imbalanced narratives about Africans and the African diaspora. Grounded in the Ghanaian concept of Sankofa, my work examines film and media as sites of narrative invention, cultural memory, and rhetorical power, emphasizing the importance of who gets to tell the story. I draw on Africana studies, film and media studies, rhetoric, and brand storytelling to analyze how cinematic narratives can foster healing, hope, and agency for different communities. I also expand prevailing frameworks of Afrofuturism beyond conventional sci-fi tropes, reframing it as a prophetic, attainable vision, rather than a dream that lives only on screens. My scholarship integrates theory and practice through the analysis of existing media and the creation of an original Afrocentric Afrofuturist film project.
From the White Walls is a narrative examination of the history of the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles in the Central Region of Ghana, exploring what they have signified in the past, and what they now represent. It explores themes of introspection, resignification, and hope to invite Africans in the diaspora to consider new ways of viewing the strengths in their painful pasts. My editorial approach focused on creating a cohesive emotional arc through precise pacing, restrained visuals, and intentional sound design and music selection. I used minimalist imagery paired with layered, emotionally resonant audio to highlight the tension between pain, memory, and hope.
The story leverages poetry and original music, among other elements, to craft a confession narrative from within the white walls of the slave castles, where African Diasporans were separated from their homes and offers an invitation to return as victors because of the strengths they have built in the face of the trials they have faced over centuries.
This project won the jury award for "Best Art Film" at the 2024 Charlotte Black Film Festival and earned me another award as the "Best Emerging Filmmaker" at the African Film Festival (2024).