● Kuukua Eshun

Kuukua Eshun is a Ghanaian-American creative who splits her time between Ohio and her home Accra. Inspired by emotions and femininity, she raises awareness about social issues and mental health through her writing and film making.

As a Multi award-winning filmmaker, her strong visual storytelling ability has led to a very successful career in the last couple of years.

Her Film ‘Artist, Act of Love’ won an award at the Worldwide Women’s Films Festival for Best Visual Effect and has attracted 14 international award nominations. Her films have been screened at many Academy Award-Qualifying Film festivals around the world.

Recently, she directed a short film for the Grammy nominated album “Made In Lagos Deluxe” by the super star Wizkid, a Grammy award winning artiste, the first of its kind from the African continent.

Her documentary “Unveiling” which touches on sexual assault against women was recently commissioned by the ANO Institute of Arts & Knowledge and was first shown at the Museum Ostwall Im Dortmunder U in Germany.

Following these success stories, she is now set to premiere her new film, ‘Born of the Earth’ at Norwest Gallery in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The film had earlier been premiered recently at the DAK’ART Biennale in Dakar, Senegal.

The DAK’ART biennale is considered the biggest African contemporary art festival in the world where a few talented black artists get invited to network and showcase their work as a form of celebrating African art.

It is uncommon to see an African woman filmmaker, at a young age, succeed in both the film and art world whiles remaining inspirational and authentic but Kuukua is making it happen.

“This film, ‘Born of the Earth,’ takes us on the journey of what it means to explore freedom and acceptance.

“For so many years, black people, especially black women, have been told that we’re not enough. It is time to take our power back. Changing the narrative means understanding your true value,” she told The Spectator ahead of the premiere.

“The film is a beautiful visual representation of what it looks like to be black and proud. Black women are the blueprint. Blackness comes in so many layers. Diversity and inclusiveness are elements that will be recurrent,” she added.

The Norwest Gallery premiere scheduled for July 23 to August 23 would not be the first time Kuukua has premiered her film in Detroit. In 2019, her film “Artist, Act of Love” was screened in Detroit as part of the ‘Re:pulica’ festival.

As part of the premiere, there will be a talk show also about the film and the inspiration behind Kuukua’s works.

“The premiere will be a part of an exhibition titled; “Pray for Us” which is curated by Bre’Ann White, whose mission in life is to uplift her community and give a voice and platform to the limitless power and beauty of the black experience through photography and high-end creative direction,” The filmmaker noted.

Like most of her projects, Kuukua says her “films embody the creation of a distinctive visual language that takes direction from the flows of lyrical sources of writing.”

“This creates visual masterpieces that are bred from intimate explorations of the subject at hand – be it the person at the heart of the story, the topic of discussion or a feeling,” she explained.

Kuukua is the founder of ‘Filming as Woman’, a female led production company based in Ghana. She has worked with Roc-nation, Vic Mensa, Wizkid, Huawei, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Variety Magazine, Michaela Coel, Lifetime TV, and The Economist, among others.

As an African woman who believes in changing the narrative and letting her voice be heard, she has spoken at Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Ghana international School and many other platforms.

Kuukua recently, collaborated with United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) Ghana to hold a healing session for young women who are survivors of sexual assault.

She is also the co-founder of an organisation that provides education to the youth of Jamestown in Accra. With the partner of the NGO she co-founded, they have given young children the possibility to go to school in Jamestown.

Kuukua is also the co-founder of another Non-governmental organistion (NGO) which is the first all-female skate crew in Ghana. As a co-founder of the Club, her goal is to create a safe space for women in sports on the continent.

Undoubtedly, this young filmmaker can be described as a powerhouse who continues to tell stories that matter through her art and work.

By Spectator Reporter