Both filmmakers explore stories from the motherland in a way few have told through their films, “Nine” and “Africa, the Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization,” both of which screened at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
John Njaga Demps and Benita Jacques Hope to Reshape African Narratives Through Their Films
BY Henry-Damian Justice
July 16, 2024
9:49 am
Senegalese-based American cinematographer John Njaga Demps and Canadian-Haitian filmmaker Benita Jacques, in an exclusive interview with The Nollywood Reporter, shared their commitment to moving past stereotypes and reshaping African narratives through their recent films, “Nine” and “Africa, the Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization.”
Demps’ film, “Nine,” a supernatural thriller co-produced by companies in Ghana and America, follows a detective and an all-female assassin group hunting a serial killer responsible for witchcraft-related murders in Ghana. As they investigate, they uncover a dark force seeking immortality and race against time to stop it.
Jacques’ documentary, “Africa, the Cradle of Humanity and Modern Civilization,” explores various civilizations and historical periods across the continent, highlighting Africa’s cultural richness and its pivotal role in human history.
By creating and showcasing their films, both filmmakers challenge the notion that African diasporic creatives avoid reconnecting with their roots.
“African cinema is the modern-day griot for the continent. It’s our role, along with the upcoming generation of filmmakers, to change the narrative of how the world views Africa by telling our stories through cinema. Films like ‘Nine’ demonstrate that,” Demps told The Nollywood Reporter.
Jacques, echoing Demps’ sentiments, aims to “strengthen the connection between peoples, promote reconciliation, and break stereotypes” through her documentary.
Both films were showcased at the Pavillon Afriques tent at the Marché Du Film (Film Market) section of the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival, which concluded on May 25, 2024.
When asked what makes a film Cannes-worthy, Demps emphasized the importance of exploring new themes.
“I am convinced that the suspense thriller genre of ‘Nine’ helped to make it stand out for the Cannes screening committee. One doesn’t see many of these types of stories in African cinema,” he said.
Jacques stressed the need for authenticity and thorough research in documentaries. By doing so, she believes, not only are community members given a voice, but the researcher also gains invaluable experiences and memories.
“The most surprising and enlightening discovery I made during the production of this film was realizing the impact it had for me and my children, as well as for humanity…The interactions with local communities and seeing the pride of people in their African heritage deeply touched me,” she shared with The Nollywood Reporter.
Demps, familiar with Nigerian talent through his work on Nollywood films such as “Living In Bondage” (2019), “Omo Ghetto: The Saga” (2020), “Chief Daddy 2” (2022), and Netflix’s “House of Ga’a” (2024), hopes Nigerian films will one day achieve Cannes recognition.
“One thing I’ve learned is that Nigeria has far more original and interesting stories to tell than Hollywood. I would like to see Nigerian films being selected to screen at Cannes,” he said.