Welcome to the Smiling Coast: Living in the Gambian Ghetto

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Welcome to the Smiling Coast: Living in the Gambian Ghetto
Directed byBas Ackermann
Written byBas Ackermann
Produced byEmiel Martens
Starring15 Gambian youth
CinematographyBas Ackermann
Danny Akker
Frits Marchand
Alhagie Manka
Edited byBas Ackermann
Production
companies
Dudes in your Face
State of Mic
Stichting Caribbean Creativity
UpperUnder
Release date
  • 11 February 2016 (2016-02-11)
(United States)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryNetherlands
LanguageEnglish

Welcome to the Smiling Coast: Living in the Gambian Ghetto, is a 2016 Dutch-Gambian documentary film directed by Bas Ackermann and produced by Emiel Martens.[1][2] The film revolves around 15 Gambian youngsters working in the Gambian tourism industry of sun, safari and sex where their daily struggles against the informal economy.[3][4]

The film made its premier on 11 February 2016 at the Pan African Film Festival in United States.[5][6] The film received positive reviews from critics. The film made official selection at many film festivals worldwide including: the Pan African Film Festival and AfricanBamba Human Rights Film Festival (African premier),[7] Galway African Film Festival (European premier), The African Film Festival (TAFF), World Cinema Amsterdam, Amsterdam Lift-Off Festival Online, COMMFFEST (Global) Community Film Festival, Cine Pobre Film Festival, Lusaka Film & Music Festival, Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival, Intimate Lens. Festival of Visual Ethnography, Festival International du Film PanAfricain de Cannes, Docs Without Borders Film Festival, Silver Lake Tour Film Festival (SILAFEST), and Campania Film Festival.[8][9]

Cast[edit]

  • Abba – "Man-of-all-work"
  • Abdul – "All-rounder"
  • Alhagie – "Media producer"
  • Amad – "Handyman"
  • Andoullai – "Media producer"
  • Aziz – "Reggae Artist"
  • Fatima – "Fruit lady"
  • Jahson – "Bumster"
  • Jamela – "Soccer player"
  • Kumba – "Lady of the night"
  • Mousa – "Watchman"
  • Muna – "TV host & director"
  • Yancuba – "Kora player"
  • Ebrima – "Student"
  • Yusupha – "Student"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New Documentary Film on Tourism, Development and Migration in the Gambia | H-AfrLitCine | H-Net". networks.h-net.org. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  2. ^ "Welcome to the Smiling Coast: A Documentary about African Tourism, Development and Migration". Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  3. ^ "Welcome to the Smiling Coast: Living in the Gambian Ghetto - Film 2016". moviepilot.de (in German). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  4. ^ "Welcome to the Smiling Coast (2016)". Caribbean Creativity. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  5. ^ "Gambia: The Film Welcome to the Smiling Coast Goes International". allafrica. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the Smiling Coast – living in the Gambian Ghetto". Movies that Matter. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  7. ^ "Dandana collective unveils "Free The System" music video". PAM - Pan African Music. 2020-06-18. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  8. ^ "Welcome to the Smiling Coast - Screenings". Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  9. ^ "Welcome to the Smiling Coast on its way to Los Angeles: FILM STUDIES". FILM STUDIES | Website of the Film Faculty of the Department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2021-10-11.

External links[edit]