Bukom: the Fighting Spirit

Synopsis

The story of a Ghanaian fishing village, with a proud fighting tradition, which has become a Mecca for finding new boxing talent. The film becomes a ‘fish out of water’ allegory as commercial sports interest begins to destroy the conditions that make the town so effective at producing fighters. Testosterone rages as the top three brutal fighters go head to head in a bid to escape Ghana for a life in the glitzy rings of Europe and America and to earn the respect of their tribe.

British-Ghanaian documentary filmmaker George Amponsah received seed funding from the Foundation and went on to find full funding from ITVS. Bukom will screen at a series of independent cinemas in 2008 including a commemorative screening at the Rio to celebrate Ghana Independence Day, and an open air screening funded by The British Council.

About the director

George Amponsah is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed director who has been making films since the late ‘80s when he became a super-8 movie addict.

Before directing The Fighting Spirit, George directed and produced The Importance of Being Elegant.  This feature doc aired on BBC2 as a flagship installment of the channel’s Storyville strand. It was shortlisted for 2005’s Grierson Award and won Best Documentary at The Zanzibar Film Festival. At present George is developing several new documentary projects.

Previous films:

The Importance of Being Elegant
Bruised To Be Used
One Plus One

According to the filmmakers

“If I had known it was going to take 3 hard years of struggle to make this film…I would have done it anyway.”

Distribution Deals

• TV
  • PBS (US)