Locarno Triumph: Ego Reach We All Scores Double Win for Ghanaian Cinema

Yemoh Ike and Amartei Armar

Ghana’s rising cinematic powerhouse, Ego Reach We All (Our Time Will Come), has clinched two major awards at the prestigious 79th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland — a landmark moment that pushes Ghanaian filmmaking further onto the global stage.

The 105‑minute drama, written and directed by Amartei Armar and produced by Yemoh Ike, won the coveted Pardo for Change, while Ghanaian actor Idrissu Tontie Jr. earned the festival’s Best Male Performance award for his standout role.

The film’s producers were also inducted into the Leopard Club, adding another layer of prestige to an already historic outing.

A Film Rooted in Ghana, Elevated Worldwide

Premiering at one of the world’s most influential cinema platforms, Ego Reach We All is the feature‑length evolution of Armar’s acclaimed 2018 short film Vagabonds, which won at the Montreal World Film Festival, an Oscar‑qualifying event.

Shot entirely in Ghana with a predominantly local cast and crew, the film’s post‑production was completed in France — a seamless Ghana‑international collaboration that preserves its authentic Ghanaian soul.

A Project Built on Global Recognition

Before its Locarno success, the film had already attracted international attention:

Winner of Cannes Focus CoPro Award
Supported by Red Sea Development Fund
Honoured with Red Sea Souk Award
Backed by Red Sea Productions Fund

Its development journey also passed through major global programmes: Armar joined the Heyazah Screening Lab in Doha, while producer Yemoh Ike advanced through the 2023 EAVE Producers Programme under a CNC scholarship, with sessions in Luxembourg, Austria and the Netherlands. The project was later selected for the 2025 Atlas Workshop in Marrakesh.

A Cast Bringing Ghanaian Stories to Life

The film stars Idrissu Tontie, Dorothy Adobea Tandoh, Emmanuel Wilberforce, Barbara Yong Jin, Emmanuel Owusu Ofori, O’Bryan Kwame Enyan, Gabriel Narh Addo, Nelly Bilson, and Kwame Brenya.

A Milestone for Ghana’s Film Industry

The double win at Locarno signals a powerful moment for Ghanaian cinema — a validation of local talent, storytelling depth, and the country’s growing influence in global filmmaking.

Ego Reach We All stands as a bold Ghanaian narrative carried confidently onto the world stage.

By Francis Addo