What is Anansesɛm?
Anansesɛm is an independent publication about African cinema.
Rooted in Ghana and looking across the continent, we publish essays, industry analysis, interviews, reviews, and stories about the people, films, and ideas shaping African cinema.
We are interested in more than announcements and headlines. We ask what they mean, why they matter, and what they reveal about the industry. Every story is an opportunity to better understand the people behind the work and the forces shaping where cinema goes next.
Our aim is to create thoughtful, well-researched writing that informs, challenges, and preserves the conversations defining African cinema today.
The Meaning Behind the Name
Anansesɛm is a Twi word meaning “folktales” or “stories.” Across generations, Anansesɛm has been a way of passing on knowledge, history, imagination, and values through storytelling.
That tradition sits at the heart of this publication.
Films are more than entertainment. They capture moments in time, reflect society, challenge ideas, and preserve culture. Behind every film are stories that often go untold: the people who made it, the decisions that shaped it, the industries that supported it, and the audiences who received it.
Anansesɛm exists to tell those stories.
Our Editorial Philosophy
We believe good film writing should leave readers with a better understanding than they had before they began reading.
That means asking better questions, paying attention to context, and resisting simple answers to complicated issues.
Our work is guided by curiosity, research, fairness, and thoughtful analysis. We celebrate achievement, examine challenges, question assumptions, and make space for different perspectives. Whether we are writing about a filmmaker, a policy decision, a new release, or a shift in the industry, our goal is always the same: to add meaning to the conversation.
We are interested in journalism that lasts beyond the news cycle.
Why This Publication Exists
African cinema is changing. New voices are emerging. New industries are taking shape. More films are travelling across borders and reaching audiences that once seemed out of reach.
Yet many of the conversations surrounding these changes disappear almost as quickly as they begin. Important lessons are forgotten. Significant moments go undocumented. Headlines move on before anyone has the chance to ask what they really mean.
Anansesɛm was created to slow those conversations down.
Our reporting begins in Ghana, where this publication is rooted, but our perspective extends across the continent. We are interested in the ideas, people, and movements shaping African cinema wherever they are found.
Our ambition is simple: to build a lasting archive of thoughtful writing that documents African cinema with the care, curiosity, and seriousness it deserves.
Founder
Anansesɛm was founded by Elvis Damptey, an award-winning filmmaker and producer.
After working across different parts of the film industry, from development and production to international collaborations and festivals, he found himself returning to the same question: Why aren’t we documenting these conversations?
Films are discussed when they premiere. Funding announcements make headlines for a day. Festivals come and go. Important ideas are shared in passing, then disappear.
Anansesɛm grew from the belief that these conversations deserve a permanent home.
While founded by Elvis Damptey, Anansesɛm is intended to grow beyond one person. It is a publication committed to thoughtful writing, meaningful conversation, and a growing record of African cinema for readers today and for those who come after.