Nakom | Kelly Daniela Norris + T.W. Pittman | New Directors/New Films 2016
We only have so much control of what happens with our lives, but with agency we do have some control of our fate, even if we are forced to make some tough choices along the way. What comes first family and the traditions that come with it, or the betterment of your own life and progress? These are questions that are asked in Nakom, the sophomore feature from directing team Kelly Daniela Norris and TW Pittman.
When we meet protagonist Iddrisu Awinzor (Jacob Ayanaba), he’s hard at work at medical school In Kumasi, one of the largest metropolitan areas located in Ghana. He’s got a girlfriend and seems to have a great future ahead of him. This is all disrupted when he receives a call from his sister Damata (Grace Ayariga) because their father has died. As per family tradition Iddrisu is required to come home to take the role of the families patriarch and take care of their affairs.
Things aren’t going well. His mother is distraught (Justina Kulidu) and doesn’t want anything to do with the dads second wife (titled “Junior Mother and played by Shetu Musah), he now owes his Uncle Napoleon (Thomas Kulidu) money that his dad borrowed from him in order to tend for his crops. If he fails to repay his Uncle, they risk giving him all of their land. Then there’s his lazy brother Kamal (Abdul Aziz) who is doing no justice to the family name, and their sister who is the polar opposite, hard-working and smart, but not able to go to college like Iddrisu because they don’t have enough money.
He is set to return to school once he gets all the chaos sorted, but it seems that his old country home isn’t ready to let go of him again. The local chief (James Azudago) thinks that Iddrisu is well suited for a leadership role within the village. He knows his family needs him at home, but he also knows that staying to long would deter him from his studies, putting all of his hard work at risk.
The story of someone returning home and stuck in limbo trying to move forward while being held back by their loved ones isn’t new, but told from a different cultural perspective, Norris and Pittman have found a way to make it feel fresh and interesting again. Beautifully shot and featuring realistic performances from mostly first-time actors, there’s plenty to adore about Nakom.
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