BARKA! BURKINA film

Length: 74 minutes

Written, directed & produced by Ina & Esu

Executive Producer: Rick Garson & Edwin Winfield, ZZYX Entertainment

BARKA! BURKINA is a love letter to the people of Burkina Faso. It traces the journey of Ina & Esu, co-founders of The BARKA Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the US and Burkina. Ina & Esu, two Americans, have been embraced by a small village, “La Petite Village”, in eastern Burkina and are working to create connections between La Petite, Fada & Burkina Faso with communities in the US. This bridge-building between indigenous and western civilization is taking place between schools, youth, women and has UN and government support. Their approach is unique, heart-centered and guided by the belief that indigenous wisdomkeepers hold the missing ingredient in bringing balance to a global village that has lost its way. The overriding theme of the film is the co-creation of a “culture of peace” on the planet. To make that dream a practical reality, BARKA has created a consortium of organizations to develop a new paradigm for achieving the UN’s Millennium Development Goals in Burkina and has set the ambitious task of “Clean Water for All” as its first initiative. In Africa, water is a woman’s issue. Women walk for miles every day to carry water to their families. Making clean water accessible supports the empowerment of women. The film documents how this enormous undertaking is begun simply, with the small and significant step of joining in conversation with Burkinabe women to see how it would be possible to join hands and forge a new path toward our collective sustainability through combining modern and indigenous technologies. This is a true story of peace, water & wisdom, enacted with vision, passion and purpose. “Barka” is an African word of gratitude and blessing.

Latest News: During the premiere of BARKA! BURKINA at FESPACO 2009, the African continent’s largest film festival, the film received a 2nd screening at Salle CENASA, the only film within the Diaspora category to receive such an honor. The BARKA Foundation has recently confirmed that the film will have a 1-week commercial release at 6 theatres in Ouagadougou. Ina & Esu are now in discussion with RTB (Radio Television Burkina) to broadcast the film on national television, and are planning to take it on tour throughout the 13 regions of Burkina Faso to promote the Peace, Water & Wisdom Concert & Festival.