Ghanaian feature film Zjili: A Story of Sisterhood & the Burdens of Excess has made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking a significant moment for Ghanaian and Dagbani-language cinema.

The film premiered on Monday, September 14, 2026, and is the first Ghanaian feature-length film in Dagbani to premiere at a major international film festival, according to its producers.

Directed by Ghanaian filmmakers Christine Boateng and Hajara Musah Chambas, Zjili explores sisterhood, migration, forced marriage and the realities faced by female head porters, popularly known as kayayei, in Accra.

The film was selected for TIFF's Discovery section, which focuses on debut features, as well as the Next Wave programme, selected by a young programmer jury.

A story of courage and survival

Set between northern Ghana and Accra, Zjili follows Zoya, played by Rahana Abdallah, an ambitious teenager determined to become president.

After the death of her father, Zoya escapes an imposed marriage and travels alone to Accra, armed with her strong examination results and determination to shape her own future.

Her journey takes her into the difficult world of the kayayei trade, where she becomes connected to Teiya, a young mother played by Esinam Semordzi, and Chalpang, a troubled landlady portrayed by Zaharawu Fuseini.

Their experiences bring the three women together in an unlikely sisterhood that ultimately becomes a catalyst for change.

The film also features Lydia Forson, Jude Kurankyie, Alhassan Fadila and other Ghanaian actors.

“Zjili is ultimately a story about the extraordinary strength found in ordinary women,” the film's co-directors and producers, Christine Boateng and Hajara Musah Chambas, said.

“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.”

Film draws from kayayei realities

Zjili is an executive production of Ghana-based not-for-profit organisation The Or Foundation, which works at the intersection of education, environmental justice and fashion development.

The organisation's work in Accra, particularly around Kantamanto Market, informed the film's portrayal of the lives and challenges of kayayei.

The title Zjili is a Dagbani word meaning “heavy” or “load”.

The Or Foundation says a 2021 study it conducted with Dr Naa Asheley Ashietey and her team at Nova Wellness Centre examined the physical effects of head-carrying among kayayei working at Kantamanto.

According to the organisation, the study found that women carrying bales of clothing weighing up to 55 kilogrammes experienced irreversible spinal harm after eight weeks on the job.

The film therefore uses the experiences of the women at the centre of the story to explore broader questions around gender, work, migration, inequality and the burdens placed on young women.

Cross-continental collaboration

The production brought together filmmakers and creatives from Ghana and beyond.

Joshua Tsotso, based in Lagos, Nigeria, served as creative producer and editor, while cinematography was handled by Erin G. Wesley of Los Angeles, United States.

Panavision South Africa provided equipment support, while Ghanaian musician Wanlov the Kubolor composed the film's score.

The collaboration has produced what the filmmakers describe as a story rooted in the lived experiences of women working in and around Kantamanto while speaking to audiences beyond Ghana.

More TIFF screenings

Following its world premiere, Zjili is scheduled for two further screenings during the festival.

The film will screen on Wednesday, September 16 at 8:30pm and again on Friday, September 18 at 12:25pm.

Its selection at TIFF gives the Ghanaian production an opportunity to introduce Dagbani-language storytelling and the experiences of Ghanaian women to an international film audience.

For Ghana's film industry, the premiere also represents a notable step in bringing locally rooted stories and indigenous languages to major global cinema platforms.