Director

Haile Gerima

Cast list

Kofi Ghanaba, Oyafunmike Ogunlano, and Alexandra Duah

Synopsis

Mona, who is an American model is shooting a film in Ghana. She is filming at Cape Coast Castle which she was not aware was a point of African slave trade. She is introduced to Sankofa who is a highly well known and respected Ghanaian musician. Mona has a flash back to the past where she was a house servant named Shola on a plantation in the South of the United States. Her slave owners were highly abusive. Nunu, who is an African-born field worker, and Shango, a lover of Shola who is originally from India, rebel against the slave trade. Nunu develops a major conflict with son who is of mixed race and has been deemed a head slave. Shola is incredibly inspired by Nunu and Shango and their will to fight back against the slave system.  After her trials, Shola has a flash back to the present as Mona, now highly aware and understanding of her African roots.

Reviews

Barlet, O., & Thackway, M. (2013). Teza by Haile Gerima (review). Black Camera, 4(2), 163-164. Haile gerima: 'new black cinema' prophet. (1978, ). New York Amsterdam News.

Lewis, S. E., Woubshet, D., & Avilez, G. (2013). Love visual: A conversation with Haile Gerima. Callaloo, 36(3), 634-657. doi:10.1353/cal.2013.0143

Turner, D. D., & Kamdibe, M. (2008; 2007). Haile Gerima: In search of an africana cinema. Journal of Black Studies, 38(6), 968-991. doi:10.1177/0021934706289802

Boyd, D. (2012). In conversation with Haile Gerima. JALA: Journal of the African Literature Association, 6(2), 207-219. Reid, M. A. (2005). Haile Gerima: 'sacred shield of culture'. (pp. 141-153).

John L. Jackson Jr. (2010). Decolonizing the filmic mind: An interview with Haile Gerima. Callaloo, 33(1), 25-36. doi:10.1353/cal.0.0596

French, M. (1993, ). Haile Gerima, menace II the status quo: The D.C. filmmaker who explores the decidedly uncomfortable conundrums of race. The Washington Post (1974-Current File)

Woolford, P. (1994). Filming slavery: A conversation with Haile Gerima