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THE RELUCTANT ORATOR

By Alrick RILEY

NYAC - as PROD

Drama - Development 2008

YAW, a succesful bus owner loses everything only to discover his true worth - as a funeral orator. The problem - this is normally a woman's job!

- Year of production
- 2008
- Genres
- Drama
- Countries
- GHANA
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Budget
- 1 - 3 M$
- Duration
- 90 mn
- Director(s)
- Alrick RILEY
- Writer(s)
- Abigail ABBAN MENSAH
- Producer(s)
- Abigail ABBAN MENSAH, Phil PARKER
- Synopsis
- To put food on the table, silence his wife’s complaints, keep his mother from death’s door and get his bus back on the road, Yaw, a young Ghanaian man, has been left with no other alternative. He must turn to the grand, ceremonial tradition of his Ghanaian ancestors - funeral oration - to get him out of his escalating financial predicament.
  The Tradition
  Set in Kumasi, the Ashanti region of Ghana, where funerals take place most weekends Yaw reluctantly has to turn to a profession that was practised by his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. These women were funeral ‘Criers.’ Such was their empathy for human relationships that their powerful words brought all the mourners (from the family to the caterers) to uncontrollable tears. It was a talent and knowledge that only a privileged few had and, due to his heritage, one that was inevitably passed down to Yaw.
  However, born of the opposite sex, Yaw was never going to follow in their matriarchal footsteps at least not until now!
  After all, he is, by nature, a quiet man with no interest in the death of others.
  Secondly, ‘crying’ is viewed as “women’s work.”
  Thirdly, Ghanaian men don’t cry… well, not in public anyway.
  Nevertheless, needs must – and Yaw has learnt well from his mother. Although he is not forthcoming when it comes to expressing his own emotions, when it comes to orating he has the gift of the tongue.
  But will Yaw be considered and accepted as a ‘Crier’? More importantly, can a talent that has been buried for so long be easily resurrected and save him from the clutches of poverty, and his ‘mother’ from death?
  After all
  Proud Men Don’t Cry
- Partners & financing
- Co-producers and distribution sought
- Beginning of shooting
- Jan 01, 2008