Vision for a Village...

A Location Shoot Opens New Vistas for a Small African Village

Premiere Issue (P. 53)

By Jane Delson

When Toronto Pictures first decided to shoot, Punctured Hope, in West Africa, it did so, not merely with the intent of finding an adequate site for the movie’s story line, but also with the hope of identifying a village with which it might become a longstanding partner. Just outside Accra, Ghana, such a village was found. Located in the southern part of the Amassam District Assembly of the Greater Accra Region is the remote village of Kpobikofe, about 40 kilometres from the capital.

The inhabitants of this village are from the EWE speaking tribes of the Volta Region who migrated in search of livelihood many years back. They are primarily farmers whose crop production levels barely meet the needs of self-subsistence. Those who engage in fishing must travel to another village over 20 kilometres away, as the village lacks lakes, rivers or other waterways for fishing. Not surprisingly, unemployment exceeds 90%. With a population of about 2000 people – 500 children, 900 women and 600 men, this small village, located near the heart of a modern capital city, seems locked in a primitive past that is void of all signs of development.

The absence of modern medicine has led to a rate of infant and adult mortality upwards of 40%. Voodooism and fetishism are the traditional religious practices, the latter of which became the genesis for Punctured Hope.

There is no social infrastructure whatsoever: no schools; no hospitals; no electricity; no source of safe drinking water; no sewage system; no roadways…and, until Toronto Pictures’ involvement in their community, no hope. That began to slowly change when Bruno stepped in with detailed plans of making a movie.

Rather than shooting Punctured Hope on a North American soundstages, Toronto Pictures elected to film on location in an actual African village as the expansive "set" for this complex and compelling film. While it became necessary to construct a few sets for the production, the vast majority of shooting was done in the actual homes of village residents, many of whom were extras in the movie.

Due to the fact that Punctured Hope recounts the real-life experiences of a young Ghanaian woman trapped in the horrific cultural practice of Trokosi, the choice of such a setting made perfect sense to the director. "Punctured Hope recounts the life experiences of the lead actress, Belinda "Edinam" Siamey, who was, herself, a child in a village very much like the one chosen to shoot the film. Capturing the local ambiance, the colours, the architecture, the character of the community’s residents has added a critical element of realism to the film that could not have been achieved by trying to replicate it on a Western soundstage," Pischiutta explains.

Going into the project, however, Toronto Pictures envisioned far more for its location site than the mere filming of Punctured Hope. "From the very outset, we worked to create a relationship with the village that would engender a long-term association with our Company and its affiliates," Pischiutta notes. "Just as we intend for our film to create enlightenment about an on-going cultural practice that endorses the savage enslavement of countless young African girls and women, we hope that our social and economic commitment to this village will afford new opportunities for its people."

Resilience is what Pischiutta found when he brought to the residents of Kpobikofe the opportunity of participating in his project. They eagerly embraced the chance to become part of a process entirely unknown to them. In so doing, they became pivotal in underscoring the film’s credibility in reflecting life as it remains in rural West Africa today. Kingsley Sam Obed, himself a pastor in the Word Aflame Ministries (Accra) and co-author with Pischiutta of the screenplay for Punctured Hope, speaks for the people of Kpobikofe stating, "Several of the village elders confirmed that the coming of Toronto Pictures to this village is the answer to a long held prayer, since no government – past or present – has ever recognized their existence."

However, providing the citizens of Kpobikofe the chance of appearing in a feature film is not where Toronto Pictures intends to stop. Theirs is a commitment which reaches decades into the future and represents the on-going investment of capital and human resources.

"We are returning 10% of the proceeds of the film to Kpobikofe. Our long-term goals include the construction of a school staffed with a full-time teacher, the construction of a small hospital with a full-time doctor and nurses and the development of a utilities infrastructure enabling residents to access power and clean, safe water," says Pischiutta.

"We also want to move rapidly to import livestock and basic contemporary farming equipment, so that we can teach modern methods of agribusiness. This is an optimal short-term way of enhancing these villagers’ quality of life, as they have always relied on primitive farming methods in order to feed their families. Newer methods will enable them to cultivate valuable herd animals and grow larger, more valuable crops which will sustain their families in vastly improved ways."

Trifu notes that Toronto Pictures soon hopes to align Kpobikofe with a sister city in the U.S. "Our objective is to enable select, promising Ghanaian youth to gain access to Western universities and colleges so that they can return to Ghana imparting new knowledge in their respective villages. Cultural enlightenment, social growth and development can only occur for rural West Africa when the ‘best methods and practices’ of Western technology are appropriately applied to local needs." D

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