Student Filmmaker Ife Davis on Creating “I Am A Warrior” at NYU Accra

Finding Inspiration in Accra

Ife, a senior majoring in Drama and part of the Playwrights Horizons Theater School within NYU Tisch, is a self-described multihyphenate: an actress, writer, dancer, and producer for theatre as well as film. She began writing her own plays, poems, and screenplays grounded in the African diaspora out of a desire for greater diversity in stories and roles.

While I Am a Warrior came to life in Ghana, Ife’s original idea was an all-Black film set within a fantastical European kingdom. But after arriving at NYU Accra, she began to envision her story unfolding among the rich history and culture she found there. And during the semester’s opening remarks from the site director, Chiké Frankie Edozien, he made filming there seem not only possible but totally supported. “He encouraged us to make our own projects while we were here, and told us we had the full support of the faculty,” Ife recalls. Right away, she began studying the Asante Kingdom and its historic figures, shaping her characters in their image and imbuing them with her own creativity.

A Community Helps to Realize a Vision

As Edozien promised, Ife felt the encouragement of NYU Accra during every step of the filmmaking process. Professor Yahaya Alpha Suberu, who taught Ife’s documentary filmmaking class, helped her modify the script to fit in the Ghanaian setting. Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy helped Ife secure a filming location on the University of Ghana campus. Internship Coordinator Gifty Affreh and Professor Kofi Saah provided support with translating parts of the script into Twi. Affreh also portrayed Nana Yaa Asantewaa, the queen mother of Ejisu, in the film. Even NYU Accra’s Assistant Manager of Facilities and Security Chris Amissah helped source props.

“I had so many people that I could go to for guidance,” says Ife. Her NYU Accra cohort also pitched in on the project. Ife’s roommate helped her source props from the local market, while another friend choreographed the film’s epic fight scene and two others served as co-cinematographers. 

After weeks of preparation, Ife and her cast and crew shot I Am a Warrior over one jam-packed weekend. When filming wrapped on Sunday, the weary but joyful group spread the Ghanaian kente fabrics used for their costumes on the ground for a celebratory picnic. They feasted on egusi stew, a savory West African dish, and danced together. “I felt filled with gratitude and appreciation,” Ife shares. “It could never have happened the way it did anyplace else.” 

Filmmaking wasn’t the only creative endeavor Ife pursued during her semester at NYU Accra. She also joined a dance group at the University of Ghana, practicing traditional Ghanaian dancing throughout the semester. She captured much of this process for her documentary filmmaking class. “It was the best of both worlds, being able to make the film and also getting to dance in a performance,” she says.

Adding the Final Touches in New York City

Now in her senior year back in New York City, Ife will soon complete the editing process for I Am a Warrior. Editing was yet another skill she acquired while at NYU Accra. She plans to submit the finished film to festivals before uploading it to a free online platform. She’s also currently directing a play that she wrote at Playwrights Horizons about two sisters embarking on a series of rituals influenced by Nigerian culture. 

To NYU students considering studying away in Ghana, Ife offers words of encouragement. “NYU Accra emphasizes the importance of community in a way that I think a lot of us in the United States don’t have that same appreciation for,” she explains. “The staff and faculty were so kind to me and so generous with their time. Give it a chance, do your research, and if you can, totally go.”