Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mark OKraku Mantey, has commended Parables Animation Studios and collaborators, for a successful premiere of the animation film, ’28th, The Crossroads’.

Mark Okraku expressing his appreciation, assured that government is ready to “support such creative initiatives to help boost the industry”. According to the Deputy Minister, this initiative is very commendable and advised more creatives to venture into such projects.

The premiere of the long-awaited animated film, ’28th, The Crossroads’, saw its first audience and it was quite the momentous event, according to reports. The movie is Ghana’s first featured animation and was released on the 28th February, 2022 to a “full house” at the Silverbird Cinema, Accra Mall.

Mark Okraku "Kumasi theatre will be completed by end of next year"– Mark Okraku Mantey Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey has hinted that the Kumasi theatre promised by the government will reach its full completion by the end of 2022. Mark Okraku Mantey, during an interview said the Government's job for the creative industry is to create an enabling environment especially for people who have interest in creative arts. Therefore, the need to build a theatre that is going to house close to 2000 people. "We [creative industry players] asked for it four years ago and the President has taken steps that we must start. By next year, pictures of Kumasi's theatre will be out. By end of next year, the theatre will be complete". In 2019, during the President's third State of the Nation Address on February 21, he announced that work on the construction of the performance theatre was underway in Kumasi. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his address disclosed that the Eastern Region Theatre was completed, and work was ongoing towards the construction of the Kumasi theatre. Last year, there were reports that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on behalf of the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Bengbu International Technology & Economic Cooperation Ltd for construction of a two thousand capacity theatre/conference Centre to be built in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital. In 2016, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to build a large theatre in each region should they win power. In its manifesto, the NPP said, " We will pursue the construction of modern large seating theatres in every regional capital except Accra, beginning with Takoradi, Tamale, and Kumasi, as well as setting up an additional copyright office in Tamale to cater for the northern sector in addition to the existing ones in Accra and Kumasi". In 2019, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia reiterated the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s campaign promise to build large seating event theatres in all regions of the country. Meanwhile, several industry players and observers have time and again complained about how the industry is neglected and not taken seriously. However, contrary to this ideology, Mark Okraku-Mantey noted that the arts and tourism industry is a big deal for the President. He revealed that President Akufo-Addo views the ministry as more of a "business tool than a governance tool". "President Akufo-Addo sees this industry as a big deal. When he called me to become the deputy, what he said was that he does not need research to know that the industry is a good industry. The pictures are all over the world. In many developed countries, tourism is a big deal. And for the creative aspect, he knows how creative individuals In the West are rich. So, he doesn't need any research to let him know that investing in this industry will bring profit". Mark further posited that because of the business mindset the President has about the industry, he decided to choose two business-minded persons to spearhead the ministry. Thus, the Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal and himself — Mark Okraku Mantey, Deputy Tourism Minister

Per reports, people from all ages and walks of life came to see the retelling of one of the major events leading to Ghana’s Independence from British Colonial Rule. The lively film was both educational and entertaining and although it was an animated film, the impact of the events was not lost on viewers, according to reports. Some reports even noted that “there were moments where some of the audience were moved to tears”.

At the end of the movie, one member of the audience suggested that they collectively sing Ghana’s National Anthem and they did, reports indicated.

In an interview, the Director of the movie, Mr. Cycil Jones Abban, expressed his gratitude for the success of the film.

“It’s a dream come true. It’s fulfilling for me personally. The boundary has just been broken. Ghana has moved out of obscurity in animation and we are now in the limelight. We can also produce feature films and films that will talk about our history. We are telling the stories ourselves. For me, I think it’s a breakthrough. Henceforth, it’s going to be visibility and more works, content for people to be excited about. So, more is to be expected from Parables”.
Mr. Cycil Jones Abban

’28th, The Crossroads’ will be showing again at the Accra Mall and West Hills Mall Cinemas on Saturday, 5th March and at the Kumasi City Mall on the 7th March 2022.

animation.max — Cover image of the ’28th, The Crossroads’

More Animations to be released

Parables studios has four more animations lined up with one set for the end of the year which will similarly be centered around the Ghanaian heritage.

’28th, The Crossroads’ is set in the footprints of the 28th February 1948’s, shooting incident. The film illustration, through the creative medium of animation, re-creates the memorable Christiansburg Crossroad shooting incident, in which, the three-second world war veterans were shot in cold blood.

official premiere poster for 28th the crossroads — cover image of the animation film

The feature film is mainly woven around the key architects of the Crossroads event, Seargent, Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey. These heroes had returned home after fighting for the British Empire, with dashed hopes and promises. The British, after making lots of promises to resettle them in dignity, however, failed them.

This illustrative piece retraces their attempts at re-integrating into the society they left behind and their frustrations.