Araluen Arts Centre: 
The Fisherman (2025)
The Fisherman is a heartwarming comedy-fantasy film that follows the adventures of Atta Oko, a traditional fisherman from a small coastal village in Ghana.
Forced into retirement, Atta Oko's peaceful life is turned upside down when he encounters a very modern, bougie talking fish with big dreams and even bigger attitude.
Partnered with this sassy aquatic companion, Atta Oko is thrust into an unexpected journey to the bustling capital city of Accra. Joined by his three loyal but eccentric "Associates," they embark on a quest to chase their collective dream of owning their own fishing boat.
Navigating the challenges of the modern world, Atta Oko must learn to balance tradition with innovation, all while dealing with the hilarity and chaos brought on by his unusual new friend. Filled with laughter, magic, and the vibrant culture of Ghana, The Fisherman is a delightful tale of friendship, dreams, and the enduring spirit of a true fisherman.
Gallery
AWARDS
NAACP Image Award Nominated for Outstanding International Motion Picture, 2026
81st Venice Film Festival (Italy)- Fellini Medal, Enrico Fulchignoni Prize from UNESCO
American Black Film Festival (ABFF), Miami, FL * Winner Best Feature & Best Director
Woods Hole Film Festival, Cape Cod, MA *Winner Best Comedy Feature
Cordillera International Film Festival, Reno, NV *Winner Best Feature & Best Director
Footcandles Film Festival, North Carolina, *Winner Audience Award Best Feature & Jury Award Best International Feature
Karawan Film Festival, Rome Italy, *Winner Best Feature
Bronzelens Film Festival, Atlanta, GA *Winner Best International Feature
Ghana Comedy Awards, *Winner Best Feature
Silicon Valley African Film Festival, *Winner Best Feature Film
San Diego Intl Film Festival, San Diego, CA *Winner Best Woman Film
New Orleans Film Festival, New Orleans, LA, *Winner Audience Award Best Feature Film
ARIFF, African International Film Festival, Lagos Nigeria, *Winner Best Director
Centre Film Festival, PA *Winner Best Film
Pan African Film Festival (Los Angeles, USA) - Ja’net Dubois Best Narrative Feature
Ghana Comedy Awards (Ghana) - Best Narrative Feature
Reffa Award, Ghana (Best Ghanaian Film)
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
My inspiration comes from the time I spent living in a rural fishing village in Ghana and the dreams I had for worlds beyond the ocean shores. Every afternoon, as the town gathered to pull in the nets, my imagination would run wild with thoughts of the exciting treasures that might be revealed from the sea. However, during my time in Keta, I also witnessed the erosion of culture and the loss of land caused by global warming.
The rapid development taking place in the area had a profound impact on the fishermen and the entire community. As a genre writer, I wanted to utilize fantasy to shed light on the costs of rapid development and globalization of traditional life in Ghana. Tonally I wanted to capture Ghana’s amazing sense of humor!
The impact of this film is to introduce people to a story that has never been told from voices that have been missing in cinema. That alone is an act of revolution, to capture black softness and joy. Representations of Africa that don’t only live in the tragedy of the given circumstances but embrace the triumph in how people continually thrive amongst those circumstances with all the beautiful nuances of daily life. I hope to deliver a comedy about aging, climate change and globalization through a relatable fishy human narrative.
CREDITS
Writer / Director
Zoey Martinson
Producers
Kofi Owusu Afriyie
Korey Jackson
Starring
Ricky Adelayitar (Beast of No Nation, Netflix)
Endurance Grand
William Lamptey
Kiki-Romi (The Fisherman, HBO Max)
Adwoa Akoto (Surface, Apple TV+. I May Destroy You, HBO Max)
Dulo Harris
Featuring
Fred Amugi
Roselyn Ngissah
Dorothy Konadu
Mynna Otoo
Adjeezay
Adwoa Akoto
Princess Fathia Nkrumah
Papa Osei
Casting by
Mawuko Kuadzi
Cinematographer
Adam Carboni
Production Designer
Douglas Baiden
Editor
Jasmin Way
Costume Designer
Gifty Mawuena Sossavi
Music by
Avi Amon
Sound
James Adofo
Jay Pellizzi
VFX
Daria Amai Shelton
Nurudeen Tahiru
Songs By
Wiyaala
Bassekou Kouyate
Worlasi
Baaba J
Team Paiya
Shegah
Spaceman
BDA Flames
Tuelo
Executive Producers
Yvonne Orji
Zoey Martinson
King Henry Blackson (King Luu)
Evan Wolf Buxbaum
Sydney Charvat
Awards
Fellini Medal by UNESCO (The Venice International Film Festival)
Executive Award, Narrative Feature (Pan African Film Festival, Los Angeles)
Dates
Times
7pm
Duration
105 minutes
Interval
None
Prices
Adult
$17.00
Concession
$14.00
2026 Araluen Member
$14.00
2026 Araluen Member Concession
$11.00
Sign up to become a 2026 Araluen Member here!
Genre
Location
Extra information
Online ticketing is available up until one hour prior to the performance.
For ticket purchases after this time, please visit the Araluen Box Office or call us on (08) 8951 1122.
Accessibility
Rating
Booking Fee
For this event, a one-off service fee of $2.50 per transaction applies on all purchases online. All ticket prices include GST.
