The Fisherman's Diary
A fisherman's daughter who wants to go to school: the first Cameroonian film on Netflix
- Directed by :
- Enah Johnscott
- Genre :
- Fiction (drama)
- Running time :
- 2 h 23
- Languages :
- Cameroonian Pidgin English
The story
In a fishing village where educating girls is taboo, twelve-year-old Ekah draws inspiration from Malala Yousafzai and learns in secret with a teacher's help. Her determination finally leads her widowed father to confront his own past and accept her schooling.
Why it matters
It was Cameroon's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2021, but was not nominated. Cameroon Tribune describes it as the second Cameroonian film to enter the Oscars, 41 years after Daniel Kamwa's Notre fille, and as 'the most-awarded Cameroonian film in history'. It was released on Netflix in April 2021, the first Cameroonian film on the platform.
Filming
Cameroon; the exact location is not sourced.
Awards and selections
- Cameroon's entry at the 93rd Academy Awards (not nominated)
- Best Actress for Faith Fidel, I Will Tell International Film Festival, 2020
Cast
- Faith Fidel — Ekah, the young girl
- Kang Quintus — Solomon, the father (he also produced)
- Ramsey Nouah — Nigerian Nollywood actor
- Cosson Chinepoh
What sources disagree on
Some outlets describe it as Cameroon's first Oscar submission; it was in fact the second, after Daniel Kamwa's Notre fille (1980).