Private Project

In The World not Of The World


In the World, not of the World, a short film that explores questions of culture, identity and history through the reimagining of royal umbrellas. These ceremonial umbrellas have been a documented part of Ghana’s custom since at least the 18th century. As early as 1701, a Dutch emissary was versed enough in their importance to come bearing one as a gift on his first visit to the Asante king. A form of regalia reserved only for chiefs, they represented power, prestige and control. This story is an expression of the artist : Rita Mawuena Benissan’s interaction with these umbrellas and how she  reinterprets them in her practice.

  • Chris Essel Baiden
    Director
  • Rita Mawuena Benissan
    Story By
  • Eddie Oppong
    Writer
  • Chris Essel Baiden
    Producer
  • Samuel Adofo Agyapong
    Director of Photography
  • Michael Kwame Dakwa
    Photgropahy
  • Rita Mawuena Benissan
    Narration
  • Alice Johnson
    Narration
  • Bright Boakye - Danquah
    Contributer
  • Marwan Zakhem
    Executive Producer
  • Ekow Eshun
    Curator
  • Balimaya Project Wolo Solo
    Music
  • Munknorr Wind Spirit
    Music
  • Cultus Coastline 2
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    African, Fine Art, History
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 12, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Ghana
  • Country of Filming:
    Ghana
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Chris Essel Baiden

Chris Essel Baiden [b.1992], is a Ghanaian Filmmaker, based in Accra, Ghana. As a filmmaker, his works delve into the depths of truth, life, and unyielding authenticity through story telling and immersive installations.

He received a Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2015. He pursued a career in filmmaking after being introduced to editing through his service at Empowerment Worship Centre. Through this experience he went to start his production company Vision In View.

Considering that every vision starts with a thought his company is designed to bring to view the vision every project carries by adding value to the project from start to finish. Over the past six years his company has worked with an array of brands in the sports, auto, fashion and pharmaceutical industries (Puma, Scania, Ebony, British Council, AstraZeneca, Si Hene, Gallery 1957, Ajabeng and Christie Brown.

In early 2023 he went on to direct his first short film “In the World not of The World, a story by Rita Mawuena Benissan, an artist who reimagines the royal umbrellas, by creating the embodiment of the beauty and power of individuals and communities through fabrication and design. The film was screened at Gallery 1957 in Ghana, where it was curated by Ghanaian-British author Ekow Eshun.

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