Ghana - The Golden Return
Director's Notes:
Hey Guys - Clé Hunnigan and Barnabas Kelemen here - a Director/DP duo based in London.
The Ghana story was very important and timely for us to tell when we did. Though originally from Jamaica/Cayman Islands, I did a DNA test to find out that my roots were from Ghana. The sentiment of 'home' and 'being comfortable in your skin' became especially symbolic for me and coincided with "The Year of The Return" in 2019 - Ghana's own national initiative which commemorated 400 years since the first African slaves touched down in the US and an invitation for people from the African Diaspora to return and connect with their cultural heritage. I took my first trip to Ghana in Dec 2019 to celebrate The Year of The Return with The Wind Collective Community and felt instantly at one with the culture there. There was something special about being in a place where you could truly be yourself. I ended up staying for 5 weeks to document, shoot and bring this story to life with one of my best friends and creative partners - Barni, and so the film - "The Golden Return" was born.
From highlighting the first Sub-Saharan African country to gain independence - to showcasing the youth and a rich history, this film is about celebrating blackness, getting intimate and up close with Ghanaian culture and reclaiming the narrative of what the mainstream media claims Africa is. We hope you enjoy the vibrancy, energy and perspective of how we experienced Ghana. I hope it reminds you - that people are what make a place and invites you to travel “deeper” in order to find what makes us all truly human. As one of the lines in the film says - “Home isn’t just where you are. It is who you are - and here, you can be yourself.”
Written, Directed and Produced by: Clé Hunnigan
https://www.instagram.com/alivelikethewind/
Shot and Edited by: Barnabas Kelemen
https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebeat/
Production Company: Wind Collective
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXp-XtXmolj9rt-l88d7bKg
Production Assistants: Angelo Prempeh and Daniel Attoh
https://www.instagram.com/angeloprempeh/
https://www.instagram.com/danielattoh_/
Voiceover: Daniel Attoh
https://www.instagram.com/danielattoh_/
Special thanks to JayNii Foundation for allowing us to film the drumming circle. JayNii Streetwise is an initiative dedicated to providing health, education and safety to the youth of Accra.
https://www.jaynii.com/
Special thanks to E Flex and All Stars Dance Group for the dancing circle in Jamestown
https://www.instagram.com/eflexgh/
