I had the honor of attending my very first film screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and what a way to begin this journey than with The Eyes of Ghana. The film is directed and produced by Ben Proudfoot, with production by Moses Bwayo, Nana Adwoa Frimpong, Anita Afonu, and others. It is executive produced by Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and John Akomfrah.
At the heart of the story is Reverend Chris Hesse, now 93 years young, who served as the official videographer for Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Hesse isn’t just a witness to history—he documented it, capturing the very moments that marked Ghana’s independence and the nation’s emergence as a leader in Africa’s liberation movement.
Watching this film felt like stepping into a time capsule. Hesse shared not only his filmmaking journey but also his deep connection to “The Rex,” the historic cinema where films were shown in Ghana during those early years of independence. Through his lens, we experience Kwame Nkrumah not just as a political leader, but as a visionary—what I would call the true founding father of Africa.
But what struck me even more is that more than 300 hours of Hesse’s film footage still exists. The heartbreaking reality is that much of it is deteriorating, with some already lost forever. The fight to digitize and preserve this treasure trove of African history is urgent. What remains is priceless—living proof of a moment when Ghana lit the torch for the rest of the continent.
And the coolest part? As a parting gift, each of us received an actual strip of film from the movie. To hold a piece of cinematic history in my hand was surreal—something tangible that connected me back to the story we had just witnessed on screen.
For me, one of the highlights was meeting and greeting the brilliant Anita Afonu herself, along with fellow Ghanaian journalist Justice Baidoo. Connecting with them after such a powerful screening made the experience all the more meaningful.
As a Ghanaian myself, I thought I knew the story of Nkrumah. But sitting there in the theatre, hearing it told through the voice and eyes of Chris Hesse, I learned details I had never come across before. It was eye-opening, emotional, and deeply affirming.
This isn’t just a film—it’s a piece of living history. The Eyes of Ghana is a story that must be seen, not just by Ghanaians, but by anyone who wants to understand the roots of African independence movements and the power of storytelling through film.
If TIFF taught me anything with this first screening, it’s that cinema is more than entertainment—it’s preservation, education, and a call to reflect on the shoulders we stand on. Everyone should see this film.
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