African film-makers reimagine folktales as dark fantasy dramas for Netflix

As Netflix continues to expand its reach into African audiences, a new trend has emerged in the movie industry. African filmmakers, such as Nigeria’s Kunle Afolayan and Ghana’s Yvonne Okoro are taking up the task of reimagining traditional African folktales as dark and fantastical dramas for the world’s leading online entertainment service.

In one instance, Afolayan’s 2020 film, “Citation,” brought to light the issue of sexual harassment in African universities, while still weaving in aspects of traditional stories. In “The Fisherman’s Diary,” filmmaker Enah Johnscott took a different approach by exploring the story of a young boy who dreams of becoming a lawyer despite societal pressures to pursue the family’s traditional fishing way of life.

Notably, these films feature well-known actors with familiar faces to African audiences, such as Nollywood veteran Joke Silva and Ghanaian actress Adjetey Anang. This combines the allure of modern film productions with traditional issues and actors that appeal to a wide range of African audiences.

This move to reimagine African folktales is crucial for the development of the African entertainment industry, as it fosters a sense of pride in African culture while appealing to modern African audiences. With Netflix’s immense reach and growing presence in Africa, African film-makers are now able to showcase their work on a global scale. As such, this shift in storytelling has started a revolution in African drama that is sure to change the depiction of African stories in the entertainment industry.