The nomination places Ghana in direct competition with leading creative voices
Ghana has once again stepped onto the global creative stage as casting director Mawuko Kuadzi earns a nomination in the International Feature category at the prestigious Casting Society of America (CSA) Artios Awards.
The nomination places Ghana in direct competition with leading creative voices from Asia and Europe, underlining the growing relevance of African storytelling within the world’s most respected casting honours.
Now in its 41st year, the Artios Awards recognize casting directors for their critical role in identifying talent and shaping performances that define film and television.
This year’s International Feature category features only three nominees: Kokuho, cast by Japan’s Masunobu Motokawa; Sound of Falling, cast by Germany’s Karimah El-Giamal; and The Fisherman, cast by Ghana’s Mawuko Kuadzi.
For Ghana and Africa, Mawuko Kuadzi’s nomination represents a clear statement that African creative professionals are operating at the same level as their global peers, with work strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with productions from long-established film markets.
Mawuko Kuadzi was nominated for his casting work on The Fisherman, a film that has already enjoyed notable success on the continent.
The film recently won Best Ghanaian Film at the REFFA Awards and also secured the Lead Actor award for Best Actor in Africa.
Industry observers have credited the film’s authenticity and emotional depth in large part to its carefully assembled cast.
The nomination builds on a historic moment at last year’s Artios Awards, when Kuadzi became the first African to ever win an Artios Award since its inception 40 years ago.
He claimed the Best Casting for a Commercial award for his work on the NFL Super Bowl commercial Born to Play, a victory that drew widespread attention across Africa and beyond.
That win was followed by a wave of recognition, including courtesy calls at several African embassies in Ghana and a visit to the United States Embassy in Accra, where the achievement was acknowledged as a milestone for African representation in global creative institutions.
With this new nomination, Mawuko Kuadzi is once again carrying Ghana’s flag on an international platform.
A win in the International Feature category would not only deepen his personal legacy, but also serve as a powerful validation of African storytelling at a time when global audiences are increasingly seeking authentic, locally grounded narratives.
Creative industry leaders say the impact of such recognition extends far beyond awards ceremonies.
A win would boost the confidence of young African creatives who often struggle for visibility on international platforms, reinforcing the belief that African stories, when told with care and excellence, can command global respect.
Mawuko Kuadzi has said he remained committed to using global platforms like the Artios Awards to elevate Africa’s image and to advocate stories that reflect the continent’s depth, diversity, and lived realities.
His upcoming project, Kismet, a television series scheduled to be shot in Nigeria, is expected to further strengthen cross-border collaboration within Africa’s creative industry.
Reacting to the nomination, President of the African Chamber of Content Producers, Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, described Mawuko Kuadzi as the kind of creative leader Africa needs.
He noted that figures like Mawuko Kuadzi helped authenticate African narratives and demonstrated that the continent’s stories could compete at the highest global level without compromise.
Producer of The Fisherman, Zoey Martinson, also expressed excitement about the recognition, describing the nomination as a strong endorsement of the film and its creative team.
She said the Artios platform offered global validation for African projects that were rooted in truth, craft, and cultural integrity.
As anticipation builds toward the Artios Awards ceremony, Mawuko Kuadzi’s nomination is being widely seen as a landmark moment for Ghana and a source of Pan-African pride.
Global and Pan African creative experts have revealed that the nomination signalled a shift in global perception, one in which African casting, African talent, and African stories were no longer peripheral, but central to the world’s creative conversation.
