Filmmaker and photographer extraordinaire Andy Madjitey shines a powerful light on the quiet rise of surfing in Ghana with his latest short documentary, “Bonty (A Surf Film).”
The film centres on a young man from the small coastal community of Busua. Known locally as Bonty, he is a former galamsey (Illegal Mining) worker who rediscovers his deep passion for surfing and transforms it into a larger ambition: becoming a surf coach in a country where the sport is still largely overlooked.
Shot in warm colour grades against backdrops of breath taking scenery, Andy Madjitey proves himself a gifted visual storyteller. From directing music videos like AratheJay’s “Talisman” and King Promise’s “Slow Down” to short films like “The High Life ft. Juls” and “Gbonyo Party,” he consistently balances intimate personal narrative with expansive imagery.
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That same balance defines his latest work. In it, Madjitey weaves a three-part story told entirely from Bonty’s point of view, exploring themes of resilience, identity, and the relentless search for a better future against Ghana’s rugged coastline.
The opening sequence sets the tone with quiet tenderness. We meet Bonty in a town where dreams feel out of reach. He speaks of himself and his love for the tides, of learning to ride makeshift boards pieced together from broken scraps. Madjitey’s camera lingers on Bonty’s humble beginnings with genuine affection.
The story then shifts into darker territory as the COVID-19 pandemic pushes Bonty into the perilous world of galamsey. He joins the pit miners chasing promised riches, only to witness deaths, and the slow poisoning of the very waters he once cherished. Through daring shots of polluted rivers and scarred landscapes, Madjitey delivers a subtle but powerful indictment of one of Ghana’s most urgent ecological crises.
Between narrative beats, the director cuts away to sweeping shots of the ocean that capture Bonty’s magnetic presence and adrenaline as he rules the waves on his surfboard, towering like Poseidon, God of the Sea. Then the film drops underwater in one smooth submersion shot, pulling one of his kids beneath the surface. For a brief moment, everything goes quiet. Air and water blur together, and power and vulnerability share the same frame.
Andy Madjitey also lingers on still images of Bonty on the beach, taken at different times of day and night. There is a quiet beauty to them, almost indifferent to the camera.
In its final act, the young father of two refuses to wallow in despair even as he walks away from the mines and channels his energy into a new vision. He founds West Coast Surf School in Busua, teaching others to ride the tidal waves and build something meaningful from reclaimed passion.
Andy Madjitey delivers more than just a surf film. He offers a moving portrait of one young man’s determination to carve out dignity and purpose on his own terms.
Watch “Bonty (A Surf Film)” Here.