2011 African Movie Academy Awards nominated movie, ‘Achor Baby’ made its Ghanaian debut at the Silverbird cinema last weekend and continues to show for two more weeks. The very well crafted movie tells the story of how illegal immigrants are exploited on daily basis in their quest to gain legal recognition, dwelling on several themes such as love, betrayal, ambition, desperation and survival.
Anchor Baby is a must-see movie that tells the story of Nigerian couple Paul Unanga (played by British born Ghanaian actor Sam Sarpong) and Joyce Unanga (played by Nollywood actress Omoni Oboli), living in the US with an expired visa. Three months after refusing to take up immigration’s voluntarily departure to Nigeria, they are forced into hiding from the law. Joyce is ready to leave the country as soon as possible but Paul wants to stay and have their ‘Anchor Baby’ in the States. He managed to convince Joyce who was 5 months pregnant that, they will leave to Nigeria after she has given birth in America which guarantee automatic U.S. citizenship to their son Uche (God’s will).
Paul’s dream is to give his unborn child the opportunity to grab the American Dream, but at what cost? During a swoop by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Pau is arrested and consequently deported back to Nigeria. Now pregnant Joyce has to fend for herself and the unborn baby. She can’t access health care because she has no work permit. She has no ID, all she has is her green passport.
Joyce meets Susan Backley (played by Terri Oliver), a freelance writer who is struggling to have a baby for her husband. Susan and her husband are more than willing to offer their basement to Joyce but at what cost? Will Paul’s dream for his ‘Anchor Baby’ come into fruition?
Anchor Baby won the Best Film at the Harlem International Film Festival with Omoni Oboli winning the Best Actress at the same event. It also won the Award of Merit Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood.
