In 1980s Ghana, a pregnant woman named Atswei and her husband, Boi, are determined to have their baby in her hometown, as tradition requires. There is only one problem: they miss the train. What follows is a series of misadventures as they try to catch up, walking, hitching and arguing their way through the countryside. Keteke, directed by Peter Sedufia and released in 2017, is a warm, funny and nostalgic comedy. Its title comes from the word Ghanaians use for the train.
The story, stars and setting
The couple set off to travel by rail, but things go wrong immediately when the train leaves without them. Adjetey Anang plays Boi and Lydia Forson plays Atswei. Their bickering chemistry is the heart of the film. Peter Sedufia wrote and directed the film, his breakthrough feature. The film recreates 1980s Ghana through costumes, props and settings, with old radios, bicycles and vintage clothes.
Ghana’s railways were once an important way to travel between towns. Many have since fallen out of use.
Tradition, humour and release
The film draws on the custom of women giving birth in their family home, surrounded by relatives. The comedy comes from the couple’s arguments, the strange people they meet and the obstacles they face. Keteke premiered in Ghana in 2017 and was well received by audiences and critics. The film was screened at festivals and earned award nominations.
Dialogue mixes Ga, English and Twi, reflecting the characters’ background. Older viewers enjoyed seeing the Ghana of their youth on screen. The film later became available on streaming services, reaching viewers abroad. Keteke encouraged other Ghanaian filmmakers to try period stories.
The 1980s and the couple
The 1980s were hard years in Ghana, marked by shortages and economic recovery programmes. By setting a light comedy in that decade, Sedufia let older viewers laugh at memories of long journeys, crowded transport and making do with little. The production team gathered vintage clothes, old bicycles and period props to recreate the look of the decade.
The film keeps the focus on the husband and wife, whose arguments and reconciliations carry the story. The film is named after the train that leaves without Boi and Atswei. The train is barely on screen, but most of the story happens because they missed it.
