La ConnexionalLa Connexional Films
A La Connexional documentary

The Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies

A film celebration of Afrobeats and community

How Afrobeats took root in Edmonton, Calgary and beyond: the dancers, DJs and organizers who built a community out of gatherings, group chats and one very old Honda Accord.

19 min · Canada · 2023
English
Ivan Touko and Mpoe Mogale standing in a prairie field. A still from The Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies.
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"The rise of Afrobeats is really just mirroring the rise of the African diaspora community in Canada."

Watch The Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies on YouTube▶

JADÉ, from the film · Documentary · 19 min. Watch directly on YouTube ↗ · Watch the trailer ↗

The story

From Lagos to the Prairies.

Over 11,000 km from its origins in Lagos, Nigeria, the unmistakable rhythms of Afrobeat, created by Fela Kuti, have found a new home in the prairies of Alberta.

The documentary follows Ivan Touko and Mpoe Mogale, two African creatives who, in search of their own identities and a sense of belonging, helped build entire communities connected through music and dance.

"When I was forming into myself and what dance meant to me, I did not feel a connection to ballet, I did not see myself in it."

Mpoe Mogale, from the film

Press & recognition

Official selection at the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival (Shorts: Alberta Spirit). Featured by the Edmonton Community Foundation and the Montreal Independent Film Magazine.

Read the ECF feature ↗
Read the Montreal Independent Film Magazine feature ↗
Follow @afrobeatsintheprairies ↗
From the film

Community. Rhythm. Belonging.

Made together

Credits & acknowledgements

Featuring

Ivan Touko, Mpoe Mogale, JADÉ

Ivan Touko

Producer

Fahad Suleiman

Director, Senior Editor

Aaima & Zainab Azhar

Writers

Mubarak Suleiman

First Unit DP

Dante Malik Sutton

Second Unit DP

Leruo Leagajang

Sound Tech & Production Manager

Radiya Suleiman

Assistant Production Manager

Mohamed Hassan

Gaffer / Grip

MelAfrique

Scoring

Jimi Hernandez

Junior Editor

Merlin Uwalaka

Wardrobe & Styling, Event Coordination

Femi Icarus Sounds · La Connexional

Archival

Sebastian Castro

Unit Photography

Angel Fano

TV Graphic Assets

Made possible by

The production of The Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies was made possible with the support of TELUS STORYHIVE, the National Screen Institute, the Edmonton Community Foundation, Media 21 Production and La Connexional.

TELUS STORYHIVE
National Screen Institute
Edmonton Community Foundation
Media 21 Production
La Connexional
Keep the conversation moving

Bring the film into your community.

For screening, school and community inquiries, get in touch with Ivan.

The Rise of Afrobeats in the Prairies · A La Connexional production with Media 21 Productionfilms.laconnexional.com