Queen of Glory

Ghanian-America Sarah (writer and director Nana Mensah) is preparing to leave her life in New York behind alongside her job teaching at university to move across the country. However, her plans are put on hold after her mother unexpectedly passes away. In the fallout, Sarah is left to deal with her mother’s Christian bookstore and the constant demands of her dad (Oberon KA Adjepong), who’s travelled from Accra for the funeral and expects to be waited on constantly. Though running at a snappy 80 minutes, Mensah’s wry drama packs in a lot of thoughtful meditations on family and community to heart-warming effect.

There’s a grungy and lo-fi appearance to this film’s presentation. Everything is shown as plainly as possible. In most cases, the camera will linger on one shot for an entire scene. There are no flashy tricks or over-the-top style here. What the filmmaker has created is an incredibly down-to-earth story that’s rooted in her own personal experiences. Casting her own aunt in a supporting role alongside featuring her own parents’ bookstore as a key location only adds to the sense of authenticity Mensah has crafted.

Though Sarah is initially reluctant to spend time at the bookstore with its one employee (an ex-convict named Pitt played by Meeko Gattuso) and her family, she does ultimately warm up to them. While this sounds like an inevitable course for the plot to follow, there’s nothing clichéd about how these events are handled. The script treats each of the characters with a wry sense of humour and loving tenderness, with Sarah’s interactions with her father being some of the funniest and most intimate moments to be found.

Mensah has packed a lot into her film, though the script is never about any one aspect. Rather, Queen of Glory is an observational insight into a family and community. Led by understated performances from Mensah and the supporting cast, this film is a dazzling gem in modern independent cinema.

Andrew Murray

Queen of Glory is released in select cinemas on 26^th August 2022.

Watch the trailer for Queen of Glory here: