Executive produced by The Or Foundation, Zjili: A Story of Sisterhood & the Burdens of Excess is the first Ghanaian film in Dagbani language to premiere at one of the top five global film festivals
Toronto, Canada.
Ghanaian feature length film, Zjili: A Story of Sisterhood & the Burdens of Excess had its World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival yesterday evening, Monday 14th September 2026.
Zjili is a narrative, feature-length Ghanaian film inspired by true events, reflecting on the everyday acts of courage that often go unseen. Directed by Ghanaian filmmakers Christine Boateng and Hajara Musah Chambas, and written by three Ghanaian writers, Marcia Abdul-Korah, Daphne M. Atsutse, and Denzel Owoo, the film stars Esinam Semordzi as Teiya, Zaharawu Fuseini as Chalpang, and introduces Rahana Abdallah as Zoya, an ambitious teenager determined to rewrite her own future and that of the country.
Zjili was selected to have its World Premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) both within the Discovery section, for debut features and the Next Wave selection which was made by a young programmer jury.
Set between northern Ghana and Accra, Zjili follows Zoya as she escapes a marriage imposed on her after the death of her father and travels alone to Accra with her brilliant exam results and her unwavering drive to become president.
In Accra, Zoya is pulled into the unforgiving world of the kayayei trade. Her destiny becomes intertwined with that of a young mother (Teiya) and a tormented landlady (Chalpang) as they draw strength from an unlikely sisterhood to spark a movement for change. The wider cast includes Lydia Forson, Jude Kurankyie, Alhassan Fadila and many more homegrown talents.
Executive produced by Ghana based not-for-profit organisation The Or Foundation, Zjili is the result of a cross-continental creative collaboration. The film was creatively produced and edited by Joshua Tsotso (Lagos, Nigeria), with cinematography by Erin G. Wesley (Los Angeles, USA) using equipment support from Panavision South Africa and a score by lead composer Wanlov the Kubolor (Accra, Ghana).
Together, the team has crafted a visually striking and emotionally resonant story that is deeply rooted in the raw, lived experiences of the kayayei – female head porters working tirelessly in Accra’s bustling Kantamanto market. “Zjili is ultimately a story about the extraordinary strength found in ordinary women. We wanted to tell a deeply human story that resonates across cultures while remaining rooted in the realities of the women our story centers, and their community.”
Christine Boateng & Hajara Musah Chambas, Co-Directors and Producers of Zjili: A Story of Sisterhood & the Burdens of Excess
Zjili, a Dagbani word meaning “heavy” or “load”, is a project of The Or Foundation, a keystone not-for-profit organisation based in Accra working at the intersection of education, environmental justice, and fashion development to catalyze a justice-led circular textiles economy.
In 2021, The Or Foundation conducted a chiropractic study into the impacts of dangerous headcarrying with Dr. Naa Asheley Ashietey and her team at Nova Wellness Centre and found that kayayei working in Kantamanto, who carry bales of clothing weighing up to 55kg, experienced irreversible harm to their spine after just eight weeks on the job.
This groundbreaking debut marks the first time a feature length drama in Dagbani has showcased at a major international film festival such as TIFF. Following Monday evening’s debut public screening, the film will have two further screenings throughout the festival programme on Wednesday 16th September at 8:30pm and Friday 18th September at 12:25pm. The film is also eligible for the the TIFF International People’s Choice Award, supporters of the film are encouraged to visit to tiff.net/vote and nominate Zjili: A Story of Sisterhood and the Burdens of Excess
The trailer can be watched on YouTube and Instagram.
About The Or Foundation
The Or Foundation (pronounced “or”) is a not-for-profit organization working at the intersection of education, environmental justice and fashion development to catalyze a Justice-led circular economy grounded in community ecological care. Based in Accra Ghana, home to Kantamanto Market — the world’s largest secondhand clothing market and leading hub for reuse, repair, upcycling, and remanufacturing — The Or Foundation has leveraged its insights and firsthand knowledge to identify and implement innovative solutions, advocate for meaningful international policy change and brand accountability, lead science-backed research initiatives, and provide education and programming. To learn more, visit www.theor.org.
About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. A global leader in film and entertainment, TIFF initiatives include the annual Toronto International Film Festival® in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, plus learning and entertainment facilities; the Donald Shebib TIFF Film Circuit, an innovative national distribution programme; and TIFF: The Market launching in 2026. The organization generates an estimated annual economic impact of $240 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit www.tiff.net.
