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NANA BENZ

Series

Director
Dhémanane KAFECHINA
Togo

Synopsis

In the 1940s, in Tsévié, a small town near Lomé, 23-year-old Manavi helps her mother run their modest grocery stall. When her mother sends her to Lomé for the first time to restock goods, Manavi is captivated by the beauty of the Wax she discovers at the market. Back in Tsévié, she begins to dream of becoming a Wax reseller. Lacking the means, she starts by selling cheaper fabrics called Tchivi—and finds quick success. Defying her parents’ wishes, she moves to Lomé, determined to make her mark in a world ruled by men and privilege. Inspired by a true story, NANA BENZ follows the rise of a visionary young woman who becomes a pioneer in the Wax trade and an important figure in West Africa’s economic history.

Intention Note

With the series Nana Benz, we want to bring back an important time in Togo’s history by honoring the women who changed their society through the trade of Dutch Wax fabrics. We plan to recreate the look and feel of the 1940s to 1980s with special care given to costumes, sets, and old objects. We will use warm colors and a bit of film grain to give the images a vintage feeling. The story will move at a calm pace to let the emotions and personal journeys—especially that of the main character—shine through. We want to show that behind every piece of fabric sold, there is a choice and a form of resistance. Nana Benz is our tribute to brave women who were often ignored, and a story about memory, strength, and heritage.

About us

Les Ateliers de Grand-Bassam is brought to life by Grand-Bassam Project, a non-profit association that embodies excellence in the film and audiovisual industry. The association is an organization of filmmakers, producers and cultural industry professionals from Ivory Coast, the continent and beyond, who help incubate performing arts and audiovisual projects by applying alternative methods of management, production, marketing and distribution in countries across the continent.

Grand-Bassam Project’s main objective is to contribute to the emergence of a solid, internationally competitive African cultural industry, notably through the development of the performing arts and audiovisual sector, capable of contributing to improving the economic impact of culture and consolidating the employability of young people.

Specifically, the objectives of the Grand-Bassam Project are to :

– Implement and consolidate an incubator for cultural projects and professional training workshops for artists and producers from Ivory Coast and other countries on the continent.

– Contribute to the reappropriation by Ivorian cultural players of the conception and governance of cultural policies, in partnership with public decision-makers at national level.

– Contribute to the dissemination of cinematographic works from the continent Formalize and implement a strategy for the implementation of activities, a risk management plan, as well as a monitoring and evaluation plan for all actions.

– Produce and/or co-produce performing arts and audiovisual works and projects for dissemination on the continent and internationally.

– Intensify artistic education initiatives aimed at children, young people and the general public.

Grand-Bassam Project is in the process of launching its program of activities, which include training, production, distribution, image education and consulting for the first edition of the Ateliers de Grand-Bassam. In keeping with its management strategy, the company’s aim is to combine production activities with socio-educational initiatives.

By working closely with sister organizations in Ivory Coast who share the same passion, Grand-Bassam Project will contribute to the future of cinema in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond.

The association capitalizes on the experience acquired over the last ten years by the Ouaga Film Lab, and projects will be carried out with the expertise required to increase the competitiveness of Ivorian and African filmmakers on the world stage.