Streaming: Netflix (With Subscription)
Warnings:
Mild Violence
Rating: TV:14
The Burial of Kojo is a dramatic thriller following a young girl named Esi (played by Cynthia Dankwa) and her family who encounter a tumultuous time in their lives. The audience listens to Esi as she recounts her childhood, focusing on her relationship with her father Kojo (played by Joseph Otisman). The film also examines the relationship between Kojo and his vengeful brother Kwabena. This whimsical film explores depths of African folklore that isn’t often examined in modern cinema. The film was produced, written and directed by Blitz Bazawule; he also composed the music for the film. Blitz Bazawule is known for his direction for Black is King, Diasporadical Trilogia, and Native Sun. The cinematography was executed by Michael Fernandez who is known for Black is King and The Killers: Caution. The cinematography in this film is mesmerizing, from the exaggerated shots to the intentional color changes in the light, it goes above and beyond to portray an imaginative realm that is unknown to humans. The musical composition also adds to the tension in the film, the music itself is a work of art; Bazawule meshes classical music with African drumming and even distorts it to intensify the moment. Alongside the beautiful cinematography and entrancing music, the origins of the film are very interesting. Bazawule was inspired after visiting his family in Ghana to create a film that included a real issue that Ghana has been dealing with: Illegal mining. These three elements of the film made a masterpiece that was well received by the critics. The Burial of Kojo was nominated for many awards but won two awards including Best Narrative Feature (World Cinema) and Best First Feature Film by a Director. This was the first Ghanaian film to premiere in selected countries worldwide on Netflix.
The first element I would like to discuss is the cinematography, this film almost reminded me of Alice in Wonderland at times because Esi went on a magical journey by herself to understand her whereabouts of her father. There are many shots that are breathtaking but just as many that are jarring forcing the audience to feel uneasy. During some parts of the film the audience isn’t sure if they are experiencing a dream or reality which adds to the uneasiness. The concept of reality is not always clear, and the cinematography assists with creating magical realism. There are scenes that are filmed upside down which certainly created an uneasy tension for me, but it also makes the audience feel as if they are in a realm that is different than the world we know. The choices with the cinematography made is interesting, wonderful and imaginative.
The music certainly caught my attention while viewing this film, some sounds were so invasive that you wish they would stop, and others were comparative to classical music. Bazawule stated that he started composing the music before he was even done with the script, he could see the scenes and he could get an idea of the sounds (Ted Fellows). He even went on to write certain scenes to music, he wanted it to be fluid, he insisted on creating something that was harmonious, and he applied a lot of his musical ideology into making this film. Bazawule wanted the film to “move and be fluid like music.” The music in this film is certainly fluid, there is a scene where the music continues to slow down during a transition, and it was jarring and entrancing all at the same time. The music is strong element of this film much like the cinematography.
The mining aspect of the film is important, and it is imperative to note that illegal mining is a huge issue in Ghana. According to Ted Fellows, illegal mining dominates the tabloids, newspapers, radio and TV. This type of work is incredibly dangerous, and it can be deadly. A story about a group of young miners that had been buried alive caught the attention of Bazawule which inspired him to create this film. Although the story became more about family, betrayal and guilt, the story featured illegal mining and highlighted the dangers of it. This aspect of the film is really interesting because American audiences oftentimes don’t know about issues that are going on abroad.
The Burial of Kojo can be shocking, mesmerizing or even moving. Bazawule created a world that makes the audience feel as if they are entering another dimension. From the folklore embedded in the storyline, the cinematography and especially the music, the film takes the audience places they have never been before. Along with the social justice aspect focusing on the illegal mining, this film creates a story that cannot be ignored. I look forward to escaping into more films created by Blitz Bazawule in the future.