Mayor Aki-Sawyerr Attends Historic Ghana Film Premiere, Hails African Heritage
Sahid Bangura Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has attended a private screening of the documentary The Eyes of Ghana, hosted by the Akuna Group, where she highlighted the importance of preserving African history and ensuring that Africans tell their own stories.
In a statement shared on Saturday, October 31, 2026, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr described the screening as a memorable experience, noting that the documentary had deeply moved her and reinforced the need to protect historical records for future generations.
She expressed appreciation to the Akuna Group for hosting the event, describing the film as a powerful reminder of the importance of documenting and preserving Africa’s historical experiences.
The Eyes of Ghana is a feature-length documentary directed by two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot. It follows 93-year-old Ghanaian cinematographer Chris Hesse, who served as the personal cameraman to Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The documentary explores Hesse’s decades-long efforts to preserve and repatriate more than 1,300 reels of historical footage documenting Ghana’s independence, Nkrumah’s presidency and the wider African liberation movement during the 1950s and 1960s.
Following the 1966 coup that removed Nkrumah from power, the historical footage faced the threat of destruction. However, Hesse had secretly preserved the collection, safeguarding an important visual record of Ghana’s political history and Africa’s struggle for independence.
The film has attracted international attention, with former United States President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama serving as executive producers through their production company, Higher Ground Productions. American internet personality IShowSpeed is also among its producers.
It premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and has subsequently featured at international film events, including the Hamptons International Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival.
The documentary’s screening in Ghana on October 31 at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, organised by the Dikan Centre, further brought attention to efforts to preserve and make the country’s historical archives accessible to the public.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr’s attendance at the private screening and her reflections on the documentary have drawn attention to the broader importance of historical preservation, cultural identity and African storytelling.
