Prominent
Gambian filmmaker Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu is back at it again with the
premier of the first CineKambiya film he produced in New Gambia.
The
full length feature film titled “Pain of Sorrow” is a social commentary on the
challenges face by women and children, beliefs and social stigma. The synopsis
of the films reads: In the village of Basikoro lives a poor hunter called Kankan
Kuyateh wih his wife (Aminata Kuyateh) and four additional sons. Musa Kuyateh married the love of his life
(Maimuna Jabbie) against the wish of her mother Aminata Kuyateh. She dislikes
her daughter-in-law who tried all her best to be a good daughter and a wife.
Maimnuna
gives birth to three daughters, a blind girl (Aminata Kuyateh) a cripple (Aisha
Kuyateh) and a dumb ome (Ida Kuyateh). After the birth of these children,
tragedies befall the Kuyateh family. Musa’s three brothers all died a horrible
and terrible death. Aminata puts the blame for the tragedy on the
daughter-in-law Maimuna. She accuses her of killing her children and eating
their body parts leading to their disabilities.
She
subsequently forces his son, Musa, to marry another wife (Nyima Suso).
Afterwards, she and the second wife start making life miserable to Maimuna and
her children. Musa could not bear what his children and wife are going through
and becomes helpless. However, his wife and children understand him and
continue to show him love and support. One day Aminata, the blind daughter and
the mother’s namesake, had a nightmare. She wakes up early and waits for her
father to come out. Musa was ready to leave for the bush. Aminata tries to stop
him from going by explaining her dream to him but he insists that it was just a
dream and that nothing will happen. He goes hunting, had an accident and did
not come back to his family alive. His mother accuses Maimuna, the first wife
of his death. Maimuma cries day and night over her husband’s dead and a week
later, she also dies.
The
loss of both biological parents marks the beginning of pain and sorrow in the
lives of the three handicapped orphans. Their grandmother Aminata and
stepmother Nyima Susso make their lives hell on earth. Aminata, the eldest,
took care of her younger sisters though she is blind. They remain patient until
God shows them the light. Maimuna finds her life partner through an accident.
He saves their lives, takes them to the city helps in curing them all. They
never forget their family back in the village and return to their father’s
house to build a mansion. They live happily with stepmother in peace. Maimuna
later moves them all to the city.
The
cast of “Pain of Sorrow” is includes the finest of Gambian screen talents such
as Habiba (Biba) Barry who wrote the original story, Monica Davies, Fatou S.
Bojang, Sheikh Tijan Sonko, Bakary S. Sonko who directed the film under the
mentorship of Prince Bubacarr Aminata
Sankanu, the producer. Prince Sankanu’s
Gambia-registered film development organization, the Sanxaanu Kaggoro Film
Kaffo (SANXAAFI) holds the world rights of this pioneering Gambian masterpiece
of cinematic arts.
As
part of the close collaborations with the National Centre for Arts and Culture
(NCAC), the Alliance Francaise de Banjul hosts the launch and premier of Prince
Sankanu’s “Pain of Sorrow” on Tuesday, 21st March 2017 at its multipurpose
centre along Kairaba Avenue in Kanifing.
Prince
Sankanu, the founder of the Gambia’s premier CineKambiya International Film
Festivals, believes that with the new political dispensation, The Gambia’s
creative economy will finally grow as “Pain of Sorrow” sets the for the production of standards for high
quality Gambian films. As a prelude to the world premier of his newest film,
Prince Sankanu organized a special reception on The Roles of filmmakers in New
Gambia: Opportunities and Threats to Creative Freedom. It took place on Friday,
the 24th February 2017 at the Rock Garden Apartments in Kerr Sering. The event
well attended by stakeholders of the young Gambian film industry known
“CineKambiya”, officials of both the NCAC and the Ministry of Tourism and
Culture as well as international arts students from Europe.
