Ghanaian filmmaker Shirley Frimpong-Manso is set to make her first appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2025 with her Nollywood debut, Stitches.
Recognised as one of Africa’s most influential voices in filmmaking, Frimpong-Manso produced the film in Lagos in collaboration with Chris Odeh from BRS Studios.
Stitches has been selected for TIFF, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.
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Frimpong-Manso revealed that the film had a significant personal and professional impact on her. She described the production process as both challenging and rewarding, providing her with a unique creative experience within Nollywood.
“I spent over a month in Lagos working on my first Nollywood film, and the experience was unforgettable,” she said.
“The story offered me refuge on my hardest days: a world of love, loss, family, and judgment that felt achingly familiar yet refreshingly new,” she added.
The filmmaker expressed her gratitude to BRS Studios for entrusting her with the project and shared her eagerness to take on ambitious stories and explore international collaborations that can elevate African storytelling.
Frimpong-Manso has established herself as a trailblazer in African cinema over the years. She is the founder of Sparrow Productions and Sparrow Pictures and has written, directed, and produced several acclaimed films and television shows.
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Her notable works include Perfect Picture, A Sting in a Tale, Checkmate, and Contract, which won Best Movie at the 2014 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
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Meanwhile, meet the young Ghanaian artist turning bodies into powerful art: