Ghana’s Historic Venice Winner “The Fisherman” Makes Nigerian Debut at AFRIFF 2025

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The Fisherman, which made history as Ghana’s first Official Selection at the Venice Film Festival in 81 years, makes its Nigerian debut at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) on Friday, November 7, 2025.

After its September 19 Ghanaian theatrical release, the UNESCO Fellini Medal winner is now bringing its blend of comedy and social commentary to Nigerian audiences.

The film’s success represents a breakthrough moment for West African cinema. After sweeping Best Director and Best Narrative Feature at the American Black Film Festival and screening across four continents, director Zoey Martinson’s debut feature has proven that African stories told with humor and magical realism can compete at the highest levels of global film culture.

The Fisherman addresses climate displacement, cultural erosion, and generational conflict through the story of Atta Oko, a retired Ghanaian fisherman who teams up with a talking fish to chase one last dream. The film’s Venice selection shattered an 81-year-old ceiling for Ghanaian cinema at one of the world’s three most prestigious film festivals.

“Nigerian audiences will recognize their own coastal communities in this story,” said Martinson, who lived in Ghana’s Volta region fishing villages. “Climate change and rapid development don’t respect borders. This is our shared West African reality, told with the humor and resilience that define us.”

The UNESCO Fellini Medal, awarded since 1989 to films promoting peace and intercultural dialogue, places The Fisherman alongside past recipients including Clint Eastwood, Vanessa Redgrave, and Abbas Kiarostami. The recognition validates African storytelling at the highest level of global film culture.

Lead actor Ricky Adelayitar, known for Netflix’s Beasts of No Nation, delivers a performance critics call career-defining. “Atta represents everyone who sacrificed their dreams to survive,” he said. “Whether you’re in Accra or Lagos, that struggle is universal.”

Since opening at Silverbird Cinemas in Accra on September 19, The Fisherman has been celebrated as a milestone for Ghanaian cinema. The AFRIFF screening marks the film’s expansion beyond Ghana as producers seek wider West African theatrical distribution.

The film features breakout performances from Endurance Grand, a dancer making her acting debut, alongside veterans Adwoa Akoto (I May Destroy You) and Fred Amugi. Nigerian American comedian Dulo Harris plays the talking fish.

The Fisherman was shot entirely in Ghana with local cast and crew, and the production demonstrates the technical excellence possible with African resources.

It challenges Western expectations that African films must focus on trauma, and its success proves comedy and magical realism are equally valid forms of African expression, marketable globally.

SCREENING DETAILS

Date: Friday, November 7, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: Landmark Lekki, Screening Rooms 4 and 5

ABOUT THE FISHERMAN

The Fisherman is a Ghanaian comedy that blends magical realism with social commentary. The production was completed in just 10 months through Venice’s competitive Biennale College Cinema program.

To date, the film has won 6 international awards and screened at more than 10 festivals across four continents. Yvonne Orji (HBO’s “Insecure”) serves as executive producer through her production company In & Thru.