The Depiction of Women in Bongowood and Ghallywood Video Films

Abstract

This study examines the representation of women in video films in Tanzania and Ghana. Nollywood's impact on the film industries in Ghana and Tanzania has resulted in the emergence of various film traditions - Ghallywood in Ghana and Bongowood in Tanzania. Women are often portrayed as cunning, materialistic and immoral in Nollywood films. It is evident that Bongowood and Ghallywood movies have adopted these portrayals in terms of plot, characterisation, theme and technique. In this paper, we contend that the influence of Nollywood contributes to these negative depictions. Furthermore, we argue that the influence of culture, religion, colonialism and literature are possible sources of these adverse, prejudiced, and discriminatory portrayals of women in Tanzanian and Ghanaian local video movies through characterisation. In a comparative study of two films, Shakira (Face of Deceit) (Amanfo, 2009) from Ghallywood and Family Disaster (Kigosi, 2010) from Bongowood, the paper illustrates the various ways in which women are portrayed. Thus, representations are influenced by perceptions of society, which historically stem from African cultural and religious stereotyping, among others.