The Discoverer of the Discoverers/Mɛ E Mɔn Nǔmɔntɔ́ Lɛɛ É

The Discoverer of the Discoverers/Mɛ E Mɔn Nǔmɔntɔ́ Lɛɛ É
Norway, 2022, 25’
in Fongbè w/ Arm․/Eng․ subtitles

Director and Scriptwriter: C.S. Nicholson
Cinematographer: Peder Bratterud
Producer: C.S. Nicholson
Editor: Peder Bratterud
Sound: Anna Nilsson
Production Company: APSELUTELY FⱯKT Films

A family in the West African republic of Benin tells their version of an ancestors’ first encounter with Europeans—to a European film crew: how the hunter Kpatè eyed a Portuguese ship off the Atlantic coast in 1548, and how he induced the explorers to come ashore. We are allowed a peek into how this encounter is still remembered ritually, and get to hear some perhaps astonishing views on this turning point in history. But do all the claims about the historic event bear a closer look? To which degree can we trust the filmmaker’s white gaze? And how do the characters and the film crew relate to one another, 500 years after the onset of the Atlantic Slave Trade, colonialism, and globalism? This short documentary gives a glimpse into the way in which history is storytelling, and how pride and conscience may affect collective memories.

C.S. Nicholson

C.S. Nicholson is a British-Norwegian filmmaker based in Oslo, Norway. Aside from a BA in Philosophy & Social Anthropology, he holds a BA in Film & TV Production from the University of Westminster. He has worked as a director, story producer, and editor for 15 years, mainly in TV. The Discoverer of the Discoverers is his directorial debut in the cinematic documentary.

 Filmography
The Discoverer of the Discoverers (2022).