'Ahoé,' the Togolese web series captivating social media while challenging cultural norms - video Dailymotion

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00:00 Directed by Julio Tecol, Ahwe is a Togolese web series following the journey of a young

00:10 man returning from France to his home in Togo.

00:15 There he is confronted by the harsh realities plaguing his country.

00:22 The average Togolese person can relate to this story, from the rice and beans seller,

00:25 the motorbike taxi driver, to the returning expat who faces challenges with grieving in

00:32 Africa.

00:33 The script is in the local language of Minna, one of the most used languages in Togo, but

00:39 there are also subtitles in French and English.

00:43 With humour intact, the story covers family secrets, adultery, corruption, the hardship

00:50 of retirees and financial struggle.

00:54 The production was fully financed through crowdfunding.

00:58 When we launched the funding campaign, we said we would be able to tell our story without

01:02 any limits, what we want, how we want, without being restricted.

01:07 Angela Akereburu is a renowned TV producer.

01:11 She is known for shows like "Oasis" and "Hospitality".

01:16 Past collaborations with Togolese screenwriter Madi Foltek have worked well, and the pair

01:22 does the same with "Ahoué".

01:26 She is bolder with certain topics, with certain characters.

01:29 She pushes me to step out of my comfort zone.

01:33 Weeks after its debut, the show has picked up a lot of online attention because of its

01:38 accurate portrayal of Togolese culture and society.

01:43 It was written in French, but each actor added their own personal touch and expressions.

01:50 The producers, cast and crew of the first season were not paid.

01:55 They estimate they'd need nearly 450,000 euros, about 300 million CFA francs, to produce a

02:03 second season.

02:05 Despite the high sub-Saharan demand for local languages content, finding funding for the

02:11 African film and television industry is still often prohibitively difficult.

02:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]

'Ahoé,' the Togolese web series captivating social media while challenging cultural norms

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