BOZEMAN — Fresh off the release of his first film, “The Hail Mary” MSU graduate, Nnamdi Kanaga is already at work on his newest project: "They Chose The Sea." Kanaga came to Bozeman from Nigeria. According to Kanaga, he works to “use his difference to make a difference.”
Nnamdi tells us “They Chose The Sea” is inspired by the historical Igbo Landing story about his Igbo ancestors who came to America enslaved. He feels this film celebrates a story that is not popular in mainstream media.
Click here for a preview of "They Chose The Sea"
“I want this story to be celebrated and talked about,” said Kanaga.
“The year 2020 was a very tough year for Black people all over the world and one would wonder how we were able to “breathe” despite all the racial afflictions we faced,” said Kanaga. “It’s no news that Black people have resisted and displayed their strengths in many ways over the past 400 years and are still doing that to this very day. An apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. The blood of our ancestors runs deeply through our veins, hence this project.”
He says he decided to tell this story to celebrate a Black history that does not highlight oppression and pain, but instead the power of resistance and strength displayed by the Igbo people in America and to reintroduce this history to the world.
Click here to help fund this project.
“I want this story to be celebrated and talked about,” said Kanaga. “I also want to tell this story to motivate Black people all over the world and remind them of our strength as a people. When we think of how we have continued to fight against oppression, we should remember that the strength and power of our ancestors live inside us. I chose to make this film in Montana because I really want to introduce this history to The Treasure State. Also, Montana is very cinematically diverse and its beauty can capture any story.”
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