Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Akosua-Asamoabea is a Ghanaian multidisciplinary artist whose storytelling journey spans photography, documentary filmmaking, podcast production, and playwriting. Her professional work includes serving as a Camera Operator and Animation Supervisor on When Women Speak, an award-winning documentary tracing the stories of Ghanaian women activists during the country’s politically tumultuous decades. As a writer, Akosua’s plays and screenwriting are deeply rooted in socio-political themes, often portraying characters caught between personal desires and societal expectations. Her work has been recognized with accolades such as winning the Accra Indie Film Festival Pitch competition for an animated short currently in development.
Kwaw Ansah—the godfather of Ghanaian cinema. His work as a writer and director has paved the way for so many of us. Heritage Africa and Love Brewed in an African Pot are timeless, powerful stories that continue to move audiences today. Filmmakers like me stand on the shoulders of visionaries like him.
And then there’s Beyoncé—a true master of her craft. She’s not just an artist; she’s a student of greatness. She constantly references and reinterprets the legends who came before her, pushing boundaries and elevating every project she touches.
My creative superpower is listening. I don’t think this is unique to me, but I deeply value it. As creatives, our work often serves as a mirror to society. To me, listening isn’t just about hearing words; it’s about understanding the subtext, emotions, and perspectives and shaping stories from “everyday” human experiences.
I’ve won a few individual awards and been part of projects that have been awarded. Each win makes me proud. But I’m just getting started — haa!
This is tough because there is a lot of room for improvement though we are making a lot of progress and people are really doing some exciting things in-spite of the hurdles we have to jump over. But I would love for the industry to get to a point where artists can live off the art they create, have space and time to focus on the art. there are many foundations that have been eroded over the years and when we build those back up, artists can create from a place of mental peace, leading to even greater, more meaningful work.