By Lawrence | Director
I am here to report on my new project, MFINFINI (Somewhere In-between) which tackles the issue of maternal, post-partum depression. Having lost my mother to severe depression, this is a very personal project to me - and a project that addresses a subject that is difficult to talk openly and honestly about. As a Ghanaian and a Black African, I feel the need to acknowledge recent events and another deep-seated problem we have all just begun to open up to. The recent killing of George Floyd, an innocent black man by a white police officer in the US is devastating. But we are seeing through this tragedy, a global uprising to address the problem of hate crime and systemic racism. I was very proud of my president's comments earlier this week and I want to share them here:
"Black people, the world over, are shocked and distraught by the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer in the United States of America. It carried with it an all too painful familiarity and an ugly reminder. It cannot be right that, in the 21st century, the United States, this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the problem of systemic racism.
On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express my deep condolences to the family and loved ones of the late George Floyd. We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the unfortunate, tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head-on the problems of hate and racism." - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana
I personally feel it’s a new dawn for deep systemic change - the world is ready for it - I am ready for. It is in that spirit that I want to now address another issue that is seldom discussed in my country and that is the issue of mental health and depression. The WeOwnTV fellowship program has been a great journey for me and I have gained a lot of insight and inspiration for my work. MFINFIN (Somewhere In-between) is a mixed-genre project that explores maternal depression, a common but taboo subject in Ghana. A short narrative film tells the story of a woman named ESI who’s thrown into an unstable mental state after losing her child at birth. This fictionalized account of ESI’s story is also presented alongside a documentary about four mothers who experienced postpartum depression, a podcast series and a comic book. These elements together will serve to curtail the stigma around the topic of depression and bring awareness to all communities on o how to support women through this process.
The film tackles the issues of depression on new mothers from pre-natal to post-natal and the experience can lead to long term mental illness. I want to go straight to the core and have it felt deep in your heart so we can get to the challenges related to identity, religion, and superstitious beliefs that these women face. We have filmed some footage and in constant contact with our characters by providing support and lend a listening ear. We believe that the support and zeal will enable us to push on and motivate the team to produce this project that will shine a light on the plight of invincible mothers in our community.
All my best,
Lawrence
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