INTRO: "Orisha's Journey" features African folklore and little girl as it's heroine - a rarity in the film circuit. Animator and artist, Abdul Ndadi, who is of Ghanaian heritage wanted to bring his cultural background into the cinematic world where he saw very few examples.
Here's Laura Cantekin from New York with our story.
IN: "Grandpa, grandpa..."
Here's Laura Cantekin from New York with our story.
IN: "Grandpa, grandpa..."
OUT: SOC
DUR: 1:33
AIR: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-air.mp3
ARN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-arn.mp3
GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-generic.mp3
ICRT: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-icrt.mp3
NIGERIA: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-von.mp3
938LIVE: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-938live.mp3
RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-rnz.mp3
SABC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-sabc.mp3
VATICAN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-vat.mp3
ZIZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-ziz.mp3
SCRIPT:
SOT - 'Orisha's Journey'
"Grandpa, Grandpa, I have a story for you."
VO 1:
Rooted in African folklore and based on the Wizard of Oz, Orisha's Journey is a fantasy tale about a little girl and the power of imagination. For New York born filmmaker Abdul Ndadi says his family's Ghanaian roots are central to the story.
SOT - Abdul Ndadi, Filmmaker
They always wanted me to know my roots and my culture so they always sent me back home to see the family and just learn, hear the stories from the elders. And just soak it all in
VOT 2:
And in soaking it in, he became aware of the absence of African characters in mainstream media.
SOT - Abdul Ndadi, Filmmaker
Most of the time, most of the characters I knew growing up, none of them looked like me. So I had to just try and imagine myself being something I'm not.
VOT 3:
Ndadi took a pan-African approach when designing the film. Using the flora of Ghana, jewelry traditional to South Africa to accessorize the main character, and scoring the film with Mali's kora music.
SOT - Abdul Ndadi, Filmmaker
When I made the film I wanted to go for a Pan-African idea because not only Ghana or Nigeria or South Africa has been afflicted. All of us have been oppressed so I wanted to have like a little piece of every culture// and put it together
VOT 4:
And now with an award from Cannes in tow, Ndadi wants to go back to the drawing board.
Laura Cantekin, New York
AIR: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-air.mp3
ARN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-arn.mp3
GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-generic.mp3
ICRT: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-icrt.mp3
NIGERIA: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-von.mp3
938LIVE: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-938live.mp3
RNZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-rnz.mp3
SABC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-sabc.mp3
VATICAN: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-vat.mp3
ZIZ: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0404orishapkg-lc-ziz.mp3
SCRIPT:
SOT - 'Orisha's Journey'
"Grandpa, Grandpa, I have a story for you."
VO 1:
Rooted in African folklore and based on the Wizard of Oz, Orisha's Journey is a fantasy tale about a little girl and the power of imagination. For New York born filmmaker Abdul Ndadi says his family's Ghanaian roots are central to the story.
SOT - Abdul Ndadi, Filmmaker
They always wanted me to know my roots and my culture so they always sent me back home to see the family and just learn, hear the stories from the elders. And just soak it all in
VOT 2:
And in soaking it in, he became aware of the absence of African characters in mainstream media.
SOT - Abdul Ndadi, Filmmaker
Most of the time, most of the characters I knew growing up, none of them looked like me. So I had to just try and imagine myself being something I'm not.
VOT 3:
Ndadi took a pan-African approach when designing the film. Using the flora of Ghana, jewelry traditional to South Africa to accessorize the main character, and scoring the film with Mali's kora music.
SOT - Abdul Ndadi, Filmmaker
When I made the film I wanted to go for a Pan-African idea because not only Ghana or Nigeria or South Africa has been afflicted. All of us have been oppressed so I wanted to have like a little piece of every culture// and put it together
VOT 4:
And now with an award from Cannes in tow, Ndadi wants to go back to the drawing board.
Laura Cantekin, New York
original music by Sidiki Konde (djembe) & Malang Jobarteh (kora)