Some movie scenes keep replaying in one’s mind long after one has left the cinema, and this is certainly true of Moon Over Aburi, a short film shot in Ghana that has been gaining accolades since its release earlier this year.
Based on a story (and script) by the prize-winning Ghanaian-Jamaican writer and poet Kwame Dawes, the film addresses subjects such as sexual abuse, society’s view of women’s roles, and the gender-based perspectives from which experiences are recalled and retold. It will have a special screening this month at the prestigious Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica (May 26-28), and while viewers can expect to be moved by the whole story, they will be haunted by one stunning, unexpected scene.
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Buachie plays a
mysterious woman, the owner of a small food kiosk who seems tied to something
in her past. Angels plays the man who visits the kiosk on a moonlit night and
asks for a meal. As the two exchange cryptic words and stories, it becomes
clear that the man knows more about her than he lets on, and the colossal
secret she carries is gradually revealed, as enigmatic shots of the full moon
emphasise the mystique.
Buachie, who
produced the film and co-directed (with Sheila Nortley), has a background
in both cinema and theatre, having performed at London’s Old Vic and other
venues. She has also appeared in guest roles in popular television series such as
Eastenders. But making Moon Over Aburi was not a shoo-in for her, she says. She
and her team had to overcome certain obstacles for the work to see the light of
day - because in a world where the number of films seems to be ever growing,
only a selected few filmmakers acquire the resources to pursue their art.
In the following,
edited, interview, Buachie speaks with SWAN about the film’s journey to the
screen.
SWAN: Moon
Over Aburi is a shocking, thought-provoking film that is beautifully made.
How did it come about?
Anniwaa
Buachie: As an actor, I
provided the voice of the audiobook in the anthology Accra Noir, edited by Nana
Ama Danquah [and published by New York-based publisher Akashic Books]. I fell
in love with the story Moon Over Aburi by Kwame Dawes.
It sat with me,
it was in my heart, my mind, my body. I had never read a story that highlighted
the vicious cycle of domestic violence, but also explored how a woman
ruthlessly and unapologetically takes back her power.
Society tends
to excuse the faults of a man and blame the women in that man’s life. The woman
who raised him, the woman who married him, the woman who rejected him. Power is
given to a woman to birth and nurture a child, yet it is taken from her as soon
as she seeks equality, acknowledgement, and respect. It is a story that pushes
the brutal subject matter of domestic violence into the light, a much-needed
conversation that often lies in the shadow, swept under the carpet. I had to
bring this story to light.
SWAN: What
were some of the challenges in adapting the short story to suit the demands of
a different medium, film?
A.B.: Kwame Dawes’ writing is beautiful,
lyrical and poetic, and it was important to me to ensure that the film produced
stayed true to the mystical element of the original.
What was tricky
was deciding how much detail to pack from a 20-page short story into a 10-page
script. The world that Kwame had created was so intricate, intimate through
words, and heavily reliant on the reader’s interpretation. However, with a screenplay,
you have to make definitive decisions and find ways to utilise camera shots,
sounds, and the colour palette to influence the viewer’s perspective.
Film also
demands a particular structure that a short story can forego. Screenplays
require scenes that establish each character and a clear breaking point in the
middle of the script that take characters to the emotional extreme - into fight
or flight mode. The audience needs to be taken on an emotional ride, and this
is influenced by the whole creative team: producer, director, cinematographer,
etc.
Personally, it
was a challenge for me to maintain a balance between being an actor and being
the producer, and co-directing.
SWAN: The
shots of the landscape, the moon, and the setting overall, are artistic and
evocative. Can you tell us more about the photography and where it took place?
A.B.: The story takes place in the Aburi, the eastern region of Ghana, and in Accra, the main city. Whilst the story leaves room for the imagination, I am so thankful to Ghanaian-based cinematographer extraordinaire Apag Annankra of Apag Studios and art director Godwin Sunday Ashong. Their knowledge of the neighbourhood and the scenery enabled us to find places within Aburi and Accra that provide a magical realism.
SWAN: The
films you’ve produced carry a social message - about the treatment of girls and
women - but it is left up to viewers to draw their own conclusions, or to see
the light, so to speak. How do you balance artistic subtlety and activism?
A.B.: It is important to me, as an artist, to
present situations that encourage conversations, a reflection of self and to
identify how one contributes or blocks the development of girls and women. The
best teaching is when the viewer has space for analysis themselves, as opposed
to being force fed an opinion.
I simply ensure
that the films I produce have in-depth perspectives, of extreme impactful
situations, drawing the viewer in on an emotional, human level.
SWAN: What
are some of the difficulties in making a film without major studio backing, and
are things changing?
A.B.: Budget. A studio-backed film would
have a large budget and with that the creative team has space to make mistakes,
to experiment, to spend hours on a scene taking multiple shots. With a big
budget you can secure your ideal location, block off streets and build a set if
needs be, to get the right look for the film.
Whereas when
you are working on an independent or a low budget, everything you do has to be
specific, and with the right intention, because the repercussions are greater.
Planning is key, and ensuring everyone in the crew and cast understands the
overall vision of the film is important. There cannot be a weak link, everyone
needs to work together to bring their A-game. You cannot go back and re-shoot,
money is tight, which also means time is limited. You just have one chance to
make sure you get the right shots, the right lighting, etc.
I do think
things are changing but not quickly enough. Independent filmmaking is an art
that is not given the same respect as the big studio movies and TV. Which is a
shame, because independents are a great way to platform new and upcoming talent
and inject society with stories that are often forgotten, hidden, or discarded.
But nowadays the art of filmmaking is more about the return on investment, and
for that reason independent filmmaking is always a risk, but that is what makes
it exhilarating and rewarding… if you make people's heads turn in an age where
attention is so competitive, you know you have something really special.
SWAN: What
do you hope viewers will take away from Moon?
A.B.: This film focuses on giving attention
to overlooked narratives, concerning social issues such as: gender-based
violence, misogyny and gender inequality, which shroud many cultures. It will
open doors to a diverse audience offering intelligent insight into the social
and political consciousness of the invisible and the marginalised. While this
story is in a fiction anthology, it is a reality that most women face. Through
the screenings, I am hoping viewers can identify how cultural constructs
contribute to the way in which women are viewed, and how this can change, how
this MUST change and, ultimately, that it’s down to us, the new generation to
take control and rewrite the social narrative. A narrative that allows us, me,
as a woman, to learn from the present, and construct a future that uplifts
gender equality, suppresses elitism, and eradicates poverty. This is the
foundation of social cohesion and the start of a new African legacy.
SWAN: What’s
next for you?
A.B.: Kwame and I are touring with this
short in many film festivals in the UK, Ghana, and the States as well,
developing Moon Over Aburi into a full feature and exploring production
companies and talent. Personally, I have my show coming out on the BBC (teen
drama Phoenix Rise), and I have a couple other things in the works that I can’t
announce yet, but it’s an exciting time! – SWAN
Photos: top
to bottom: Anniwaa Buachie; scenes from Moon Over Aburi.
Follow SWAN on Twitter: @mckenzie_ale
