What To Watch in West Africa This Month
From a docu-series on the people behind the sounds of Nollywood films, to a series on the state of illegal broadcasting in Senegal, here’s what to watch from West Africa this month.
This month, our streaming guide features the best of films, series, documentaries and docu-series out of West Africa. The list travels from Nigeria to Senegal and back to Ghana, showcasing the best of local content. In one, a mother goes on a life-changing journey in search of her kidnapped daughter, in another, two men try to succeed within an ancient trade system while juggling feelings of resentment, love, and loyalty.
Find the full list of this month’s streaming guide below:
'Afamefuna: An Nwa Boy Story' (Nigeria)
Each year, for as long as many can remember, young men from the Igbo tribe in Nigeria are sent to live with and learn from other more established businessmen who are of the same ethnicity. In what is referred to as the Igbo Apprenticeship System, these young men, during this time, learn as much as they can about their master’s trade, providing years of dedication and work, with the promise of a substantial settlement that sometimes includes getting a shop of their own, or a sum of money, huge enough to establish their own businesses. The concept has however not been sufficiently explored in Nollywood storytelling until now. In Afamefuna, a tender story directed by Kayode Kasum, two men — portrayed by Stan Nze and Alex Ekubo — find themselves in the apprenticeship system. The film follows them as they seek to succeed against several odds and expertly touches on the grueling, but sometimes redemptive power of love and loyalty. Afamefuna presents a compelling story about what it means to be young, restless and idealistic.
Watch Afamefuna: An Nwa Boy Story on Netflix.
'Finding Daisy' (Ghana)
When a mother finds out that her daughter has been kidnapped, she is thrust into a world she is completely unfamiliar with. In this new film starring singer and actor Adomaa, old resentments and new relationships come to a meeting point in a gripping film that tests the boundaries of affection and pushes a mother to inexplicable limits in a bid to rescue her child.
Watch Finding Daisy on Akwaaba Magic.
'Mbédeu Baye Moussé' (Senegal)
In Mbédeu Baye Moussé, a young, emerging actor loses his job after being caught in the crosshairs of networks that illegally broadcast the signal of some production houses. This experience leads him to dissuade his neighbors from engaging in this illegality, but he is not always met with understanding. Mbédeu Baye Moussé provides a well-developed insight into some of the socio-cultural concerns many Senegalese are thinking about.
Watch Mbédeu Baye Moussé on YouTube.
'Casa De Novia' (Nigeria)
Lagos can be a stressful place to be employed, especially if one has to brave hours of traffic jams to get to work every day. A simple shortcut around this is usually to live next to work — even if it means unknowingly renting a home belonging to a ghost. This is what serves as the premise for this comedy flick Casa De Novia starring Anee Icha. When Yoyo, Icha's character, is forced to find a new home on a paltry budget, she stumbles on a mansion that is being rented out for next to nothing (a Lagos anomaly). She takes it as a divine intervention, but what lurks behind those majestic doors, however, soon reveals itself to be anything less than divine. Casa De Novia is a fun, spirited watch, filled with heart, brilliant, well-measured comedic acting, a ghost, an unlikely relationship and a city that pushes us into the most ridiculous circumstances.
Watch Casa De Novia on Prime Video
'Sounds of Nollywood' (Nigeria)
Have you ever wondered how Nollywood soundtracks came to be? Who are the people behind the sounds that move us and add color to our favorite films? Across five episodes, we hear from industry players and producers who have engineered and worked on the sound of some of the biggest films in the country. The docu-series features composers and sound engineers like Anu Afolayan (Anikulapo, The Bridge), Kulanen Ikyo (Lionheart, Oloture, The Black Book) Ava Momoh (The Millions, Collision Course) and others. Sounds of Nollywood, produced by WeTalkSound in collaboration with In Nollywood, is a necessary look into the process and journey of the people behind the sounds.
Watch Sounds of Nollywood on YouTube
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