Broadway to host special exhibition and gala screening of PAA JOE & THE LION with special guests

Broadway, Nottingham is proud to welcome back Paa Joe and his mighty lion coffin for a gala screening of Benjamin Wigley’s debut documentary, Paa Joe & The Lion, on Sunday 28 August. Paa Joe & The Lion tells the story of Paa Joe, also known as the Grandfather of Ghana’s fantasy coffin trade – an artist and pioneer of the fantasy coffin who, although celebrated the world over, is struggling to survive back in Ghana. Broadway-based filmmaker, Benjamin Wigley, embarked on a five-year journey across Ghana and the UK to uncover the story of this extraordinary craftsman. Developed through Documentary Campus Masterschool with the support of PMA Worldview, and made with the support of Creative England and Kickstarter, Paa Joe & The Lion premiered at Sheffield Doc/Fest in June. One audience member said of the film: “There were tears, cheers and belly-laughs.” Now back at Broadway, where the team originally launched their Kickstarter campaign, the special gala screening will be attended by director Benjamin Wigley, Paa Joe himself and his son Jacob, and collaborator Benjamin Zephaniah, who will all take part in a post-screening Q&A. The screening will be the culmination of a day of music and celebration with live music, art and performance from 2PM on Broadway’s terrace, followed by a procession which will see Paa Joe’s lion coffin being carried around Hockley from 4PM with live drummers. The film itself will start at 5.15PM at Broadway. Ahead of the screening, Broadway will be host to a special exhibition around the film in its Gallery from 22 August. The exhibition will feature work from local photographer David Severn who documented the lion coffin’s procession at Clumber Park in 2013, artwork from artist Amy Blackwell who designed the lion branding for the film, hand-made masks from Nottingham-based mask-maker Stephen Jon, which appear in the film, and stills taken from the film that document the film’s progression from start to finish – all taking people on a full journey of the five years that have gone into the making of the film. The exhibition will be open from 22 until 29 August from 10am – 6pm. Access to the Broadway Gallery is available from Heathcoat Street or through Broadway’s main entrance on Broad Street. For more information and to book tickets, please visit http://www.broadway.org.uk/events/film-paa-joe-and-the-lion-plus-qanda