Zum Zum: The Career of Azumah Nelson
Writer/Producer: Sam Kessie
Ghana, Australia, US I 2010 I 53 minutes I English
US Premiere

A discussion with the writer/producer, Ms. Kessie, will follow the screening.

From the slums of Bukom comes the inspirational story of a young man who believed his destiny was to be come a King amongst Kings. Azumah Nelson, also known as the ‘Terrible Warrior’ and later on as ‘The Professor’ was the WBC World Champion for over a decade, putting the little coastal nation of Ghana on the map.
See rare footage and interviews from the champ, some members from his camp, and world champion Jeff Fenech’s coach, Johnny Lewis. This documentary follows the humble beginnings of a man who believed in himself and became arguably the greatest boxer ever to come out of Africa.

Sam Kessie (Writer/Producer)
Sam Kessie has worked extensively with the film and commercial community in Atlanta for the last five years and has heavily participated in numerous projects, working as a script supervisor, set decorator, production assistant, assistant director and director.
While Sam has grown as a strong director and a skillful storyteller, she is also a gifted writer. At the end of 2009, Sam wrote and directed a ten-minute corporate video, Geodrill, for the West African Drilling company in Ghana. In April 2010, her company, Sankofa Pictures, helped produce and write the documentary, Zoom Zoom-The Professor: a story about a very prestigious former WBC African boxer from her motherland, Ghana.
She is also writing and hoping to direct her debut feature film script, Killing Harry, a dark comedy about a corrupt man who, before he can enter heaven, is sent back from the dead to first confront his murderer.
Sam intends to establish her creative footprint in the film industry both internationally and domestically through her independent production company, Sankofa Pictures, which focuses on exceptional storytelling and visual artistry. The West African adinkra symbol and word Sankofa is derived from the Akan words; SAN (return), KO (go), FA (look, seek and take). This symbolizes one’s quest for knowledge with the implication that the quest is based on critical examination, intelligence and patient investigation. It reflects
the Akan belief that the past serves as a guide for planning the future, or the wisdom in
learning from the past in building the future.

Co-hosted with Cameroon American Council.