Denver, Colorado Feb 6, 2023 (Issuewire.com) - Based on the novel by Louis Sheppard, “Lariba” is the coming-of-age story of a young girl from a small farming village in Ghana, whose childhood is cut short when she is whisked away to the city to live with her older sister and her family. The story spans decades, as the main character, Lariba, is faced with the harsh realities of friendship, loss, loyalty, and love.
Fresh from his successes with the narrative feature film “Colorado Christmas,” and the PBS documentary, “Keep a Light in Your Window,” Director Elgin Cahill has been tapped to bring Sheppard’s novel to the big screen. “When I read it, I was completely captivated. It felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book. Louis has a way of putting you inside the narrative; of making you feel like you are experiencing the story from the point of view of the characters,” says Cahill. “In addition, Louis spends a good amount of his time in Ghana, which gives his work a unique and authentic perspective”.
Cahill is determined to make Lariba a flagship film for the local film industry. As such, Lariba will be shot entirely in Ghana. “West Africa has had a rich and varied film production industry for decades,” says Cahill. “Ghana’s film industry is evolving and maturing. The main character of Lariba is nuanced and complex; her struggle to reconcile modern-day issues and challenges with past traditions reflects the very struggle of the nation she calls home.”
Co-producer Silas Mwenda has collaborated with Elgin Cahill on past projects and insisted that Lariba be authentic and visceral. “When the children are chasing chickens through the village, I want to see the feathers flying. I want to taste the dust in my mouth,” says Mwenda. A producer, actor, and vocalist who hails from Kenya, Mwenda brings his own unique perspective and a genuine West-African flavor to this project.
Lariba is scheduled to begin pre-production in the Fall of 2023.
Media Contact
Mike Peters mpeters@bellair.net https://elgin299.wixsite.com/mysite
