Synopsis
Set in the “sister cities” of Accra, Ghana and Columbus, Ohio, Ampe: Leap into the Sky, Black Girl is a rhythmic love letter to Black girlhood across the African diaspora. Through the lens of the Ghanaian traditional jumping and clapping game, Ampe, the film takes us on a journey of sisterhood, loyalty, and nostalgia in a space created for us, by us.
A word from Tënk
In this cinematic portrayal of Black girl power and unity in West Africa, we are taken on a journey into the history of the famous Ghanaian game, Ampe, played by numerous girls around the country and also in the Ghanaian diaspora. Moving into our present-day society, we realize that the game of Ampe has evolved since and is so much more than just a game but a representation of culture, identity, comradery and female independence among Ghanaian girls and women.
Living in an undeniably patriarchal society like is found till today on many parts of the African continent, spaces for girls and women to exist independently of men are scarce or almost non-existent. This is among the factors contributing to making the game of Ampe so significant to the girls and women who play it, as well as those who watch the game. It is a space free of the male gaze or of judgment by their masculine peers. It is a space owned and celebrated by women. It is a space that depicts female power, independence and freedom. It is a space that is integral in the building of other spaces for African girls and women on the African continent and in the African diaspora.
Badewa Ajibade
Guest curator
