Scheduled to open in Nigerian cinemas this Friday is a new romantic comedy titled Contract, directed by Shirley Frimpong Manso, and starring Ghanaian actress Yvonne Okoro, South African actor Hlomla Dandala, and Nigerain actor Joseph Benjamins.
The film’s plot, which is described as an unsuspecting rom-com with unusual twists, is detailed as follows:
Successful Businessman Peter Popolampo is the ultimate alpha male. He is 40 years old, rich, and a staunch bachelor. Despite his mother’s persistent attempt to find him a woman, Peter sticks to his rule of non-committal casual dates, freedom and controlling his life until a yearning to have a child arises. In his quest to find the woman who will take his money, have his child and disappear, Peter begins a roller coaster, contracted relationship with Abena Boateng, a crude but clever local girl who is anything but impressed with Peter’s affluence.
South African actor Dandala stars as Peter, while Ghanaian actress Okoro plays Abena. By the way, Okoro self-produced the film, which premiered in Accra, Ghana on December 28, 2012, to what was reported to have been an impressive turnout by audiences.
It also debuted in London (at the London Cinemas Showcase Beckton & Peckham Plex) just last week, where it’s expected to run through early April.
I won’t hold my breath waiting for a USA debut, but you never know.
I like the look and feel of this, especially when compared to other contemporary Ghollywood movies I’m familiar with – Ghollywood not being my term, by the way, but rather one that’s been used to label Ghana’s film industry, much like other film industries around the world, all borrowing from “Hollywood” of course; a trend that I can’t say that I’m particularly fund of. But I get it.
Regardless, I hope this comes to the USA, because I’d like to check it out. Okoro is one of Ghana’s best known actresses, and she’s apparently making a bit of a splash with Contract, which has been received well everywhere it’s screened thus far, according to the various reports I read.
Watch the trailer below:
