A FILMIC DISCOVERY OF AN UNKNOWN PART OF POP MUSIC HISTORY

Highlife Music of Ghana has proven to be one of Africa’s most popular and potent form of music. Highlife can be considered as a fusion of indigenous dance rhythms and melodies with western influences including regimental music, sea shanties and church hymns, which first emerged in the coastal towns of Ghana in the early years of the twentieth century.

Since the end of the Seventies Burger Highlife has been the traditional music which keeps the people in parts of West Africa from morning until late after midnight in movement and tune. Created by Ghanaian musicians mainly in Germany, Burger Highlife found its way back to its origins in West Africa.

Burger Highlife will offers a wonderful example of the benefits of cross cultural exchanges between Africa and Europe. The film follows the surprising evolution of the diverse styles with respect to the history of West Africa. It is fascinating to note that Africans have not been confronted with a one way influence that eventually destroys their old traditional music. On the contrary, Burger Highlife is the epitome of the African point of view of encountering the foreign world.

The film Burger Highlife - Explosion!!!, is promising swing, entertainment, emotion, pleasure and also a kind of education about a shared culture and entangled history.

A good film should have a message. The message Burger Highlife - Explosion!!! seeks to give is:  “COME TO AFRICA“ like in a Burger Highlife song composed and performed  by George Darko with the same tiltle. And we meet other Burger Highlife stars like Lee Dodou, Pat Thomas, Bob Fiscian, Albert Jones, McGod, Nana Aboagye Da-Costa, Daddy Lumba, Nana Acheampong, Nana Asamoah, John Collins ...

CAST AND CREW

a film by

Wilma Kiener

Dieter Matzka

Yahaya Alpha Suberu

musicians

Sensational Wulomei

George Darko

Lee Dodou

Bob Fiscian

Albert Jones

Daddy Lumba

Nana Acheampong

E.T. Mensah

Aaron Bebe Sukura

Nana Aboagye da Costa

Pat Thomas

McGod

Nana Asamoah

with

Faisal Helwani

Prof. John Collins

Eleonore Sylla

Peter Krick

Bodo Staiger

Loud Ameosii Banini

Charles Amoah

script

Wilma Kiener

director of photography

Dieter Matzka

camera

Yahaya Alpha Suberu

Albert Owusu-Ansah

Emmanuel Appiah

Uli Poetter

Yidana Kobila

Wilma Kiener

studio technic

cine audio Media Services

lightning

Philip Quaigya

sound mix

Peter Krick

Gunther Bittmann

production manager Ghana

Yahaya Alpha Suberu

production assistant

translation

Judith Mensah

directing and editing

Wilma KienerDieter Matzka

supported by

FFF Bayern

Landesregierung Oberösterreich

co-production

Goethe - Institut München

Lampion Film Austria

Cinecon Africa (GH) Ltd. Accra

production and copyright

Matzka-Kiener-Filmproduktion

Supported by

FilmFernsehFonds Bayern,

Goethe-Institut,

Government Upper Austria

60min / 16:9 / Pal / DigiBeta

English and German version.

Tags:          CULTURE / MUSIC / AFRICA / GHANA / MIGRATION / SOCIETY / VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY