Shirley's 'sting in a tale' premieres tonight

The Ghanaian movie industry, during the pre and early, post independence era was as vibrant as the directors who were churning out the movies. Earlier films like 'The Boy Kumasenu' , 'No Tears for Ananse' and 'I told you so', and later, others like 'Love Brewed in the African Pot', 'The Road to Kukurantumi, succeeded in pulling huge crowds to the cinemas theaters. Directors Kwaw Ansah and King Ampaw and were among the very few who managed to make a name for their films on the local and international scenes.

Few scripts and scenes after the reign of the Ampaws and the Ansahs, the industry saw a sudden dip, thanks to the lowering of standards and the settling for mediocrity.

Thanks to the likes of Shirley Frimpong Manso and Abdul Salam Mumuni the industry is gradually taking shape once again. Shirley is no stranger to present day Ghanaian cinema. Her production company, Sparrow Productions is among the very few that have managed to keep the otherwise dull industry alive.

The industry hadn't seen much facelift prior to Shirley's entry but she however managed to win the souls of many movie watchers who had lost hope in a dying industry with her three standard movies, 'Life and Living It', 'Scorned' and 'Perfect Picture'. She received a lot of thumbs up for raising the bar above what ratings consider optimal.

Just when people were getting into this whole Sparrow 'thing' comes yet another Box Office potential, 'A sting in a tale'. The hype surrounding the film's trailer, is as huge as that of the premier which comes off tonight at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The film centers on a twisted tale of two unemployed graduates who embark on a journey to make it in a world where you need more than what you have to get what you want. Kuuku is overwhelmed with the urgency to succeed and frantically searches for a reward several years after leaving school.

Frustrated and constantly reminded of his failure by the presence of his girlfriend, (Frema) Kuuku will do anything to make the odds work in his favor. Nii Aryee, Kuuku's moderate-looking friend is more positive about the future until the rejection letters begin to mount and his landlord comes to town. Driven by the fear of poverty, these two friends go in search of a destiny that takes them to the most obscure places. In a tale where the unexpected is always lurking in the shadows, from the natural to the supernatural, among all ploys, grief and struggles, nothing prepares you for the sting, in a bizarre ending.

Sparrows' cast includes a combination of an all time best array of young and old actors who blend rather easily. The use of Doris Sackitey, Jocelyn Dumas and Abeiku Acquah is one smart move that does a lot for the movie. Doris on any day is splendid as well as Abeiku whose acting finesse, dates back to his 'Things We Do for Love' days.

The International Conference Center is surely going to be filled to capacity and get Sparrow the sort of turnout they expect and maybe exceed their target. When it comes to producing movies of the highest quality, Shirley and her Sparrow productions have proven equal to the task. 'A sting in a tale' will surely pass as one the best if not the best all year round.

Apart from this evening's premiere, the movie will show again tomorrow at the same venue. Other countries including Nigeria, Kenya and the United States will have a feel of the movie after the Accra premiere.

Development / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com