Ghanaian filmmaker Samuel “Blitz” Bazawuke has a huge reason to celebrate these days, because his film “The Burial of Kojo” is in the running for a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Foreign Film category.
Of course, even being considered for a Golden Globe nomination is a huge deal in of its own, but Bazawuke is the first person from Ghana to ever be considered for such an honor, which makes it an even bigger deal.
“WHAAAAAAT!!!! @TheBurialOfKojo is up for a Golden Globe Nomination,” he tweeted on Nov. 8. “First ever for Ghana. Just Wow!!!”
“The Burial of Kojo,” which streams on Netflix and also played in theaters, tells the story of a young girl who travels back and forth through a spiritual world to save her father, who’s gone missing after going on an illegal mining trip.
The film was distributed by Ava DuVernay‘s company Array, which focuses on supporting movies made by women and people of color.
“I wanted to distribute this film from the minute I heard @BlitzAmbassador was making it. My dream came true,” tweeted DuVernay on Feb. 15 of this year.
And the following month she wrote “I am so proud to distribute this film. I invite you to enjoy @BlitzAmbassador’s gem, THE BURIAL OF KOJO. You’re in for a sumptuous, gorgeous treat.”
Bazawuke, who’s also a rapper and goes by the name of Blitz the Ambassador, composed the music in the film as well. And it features Cynthia Dankwa as the young girl Esi and Joseph Otsiman as her father.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bazawuke received plenty of congratulatory comments from his fellow Ghanaians, and from many others as well.
“I’m screaming. My heart is swelling with pride,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“Big one for you and the motherland. Congrats,”@BlitzAmbassador,” wrote another.
“I’m really not surprised, you deserve it! I’m only waiting for the Oscar nomination,” a third person tweeted.
It’ll be known for sure if “The Burial Of Kojo” gets a Golden Globe nod when the nominations are read on Dec. 9
