Three Writers, One Big Break: The Story Behind AMVCA-Nominated Film
The MultiChoice Talent Factory West Africa Class of 2023 has produced a film that is now nominated for an Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Award. GROWN, a fantasy-drama, tells the story of a teenager who yearns to grow up but awakens 31 years older and must become young again. The film is the result of a collaboration between three emerging African storytellers, Nosa Isibor, Boakye D. Alpha, and Uyioghosa Etinosa.
The Creative Minds Behind GROWN
The trio behind the story of GROWN have diverse creative backgrounds. Nosa Isibor is a filmmaker and writer whose expanding list of screenwriting credits includes GROWN and Guess Who. Boakye D. Alpha, a Ghanaian writer and filmmaker, has a wider literary background and has written in poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, and screenwriting. Uyioghosa Etinosa, a creative artist, actress, and sound recordist, has worked in performance and sound, recording music for short films, documentaries, and for Africa Magic.
A Collaboration Born from the MultiChoice Talent Factory
The MultiChoice Talent Factory, a program that trains and introduces new African filmmakers to the various elements of film and television production, served as a conduit for the three writers and the larger creative team to further flesh out the story in the form of a feature film. The program allowed them to develop their skills and work together on a project that would eventually become GROWN. The film's success marks a major screen credit for Isibor, Alpha, and Etinosa, and another milestone in their careers, which are not limited to one genre.
A Big Break for Emerging Writers
When GROWN debuted on Africa Magic in 2024, it represented a big turning point for the new creative crew as they stepped away from development workshops and into commercial film projects. The movie's path also highlights the importance of co-created stories in Africa's growing creative economy. GROWN is the product of multiple creative minds, writers, actors, directors, sound, and other production talents all coming together to create one finished story. The collaboration between Isibor, Alpha, and Etinosa makes GROWN a unique story that showcases the potential of emerging writers in Africa's film industry.
A New Chapter for the Writers
The success of GROWN marks a new chapter in the careers of Nosa Isibor, Boakye D. Alpha, and Uyioghosa Etinosa. They have already begun working on new projects, and their collaboration on GROWN has set a new standard for co-created stories in Africa's film industry. The writers' unique routes to filmmaking, though different, have converged in one common theme: what happens when you get what you want before you're ready? The premise of the film is that question, and it is a collaboration between three emerging writers that makes it a story.
Source: Pulse.ng
