NAKOM

Ghana, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jacob Ayanabaa.
Directed by Kelly Daniela Norris, T. W. Pittman.

Nakom is the name of a village in Ghana. The central character of this film from Ghana itself is a young man who has a scholarship, comes from the country, is in the city studying at the University. He is intelligent, has embraced the life in the city, is in a relationship with a young woman. then he receives the news of the death of his father.

The main part of the film is the young man’s return to the village, his encounter with his family, mother, brother and sister, extended relations, his uncle to whom his father was indebted and needs to be repaid, the chief of the village who makes proposals that he be his successor.

The film focuses the detail of the young man’s months in his village, a close-up of life in the village, the old customs, his Islamic beliefs, his friendship with a Christian. The young man is conscientious although he is determined to retain his scholarship and return to his studies. He stays at home, works, tries to act responsibly as regards the debt – and finally returns to his studies.

1. The impact of a film from Africa, from Ghana? Cultural background? Contemporary issues? Culture clashes?

2. The locations, the city, the University, the transport centre? The contrast with the open road, the countryside? The village, houses, meeting places? The fields, the work? Musical score?

3. The focus on Iddrissu? A young man, in the city, the scholarship, at the University, studies? Relationships, with the young woman, getting the news of his father’s death?

4. His decision to go back to the village, the transport, travelling in the minibus, through the countryside? Arriving in his village?

5. His father, the death, the accident? His debts to his brother? The burden for the young man, his mother, his sister?

6. The chief of the village, welcoming him, proposals for the future?

7. The young man, his relationship with his mother? Grief? The financial burdens? His responsibility? His younger brother, not a student? His future? His sister, the possibility for her to study? Her future in the village, marriage?

8. The visit to the uncle, the debt in abeyance, the request for delay, to harvest time?

9. Interest in the various episodes with the young man at home, his encounters with people, the effect on him, his scholarship, his studies, his sense of responsibility?

10. His staying, the work? His final decision, the farewell to his sister? His future?