Ato Yanney

Ato Kwamina Yanney (Ato Yanney snr) was born on the 22nd January 1933 at Senya Bereku in the Central Region of Ghana. He attended the London school of Film Technique, where he studied screenplay writing and directing. He then went to the London University to pursue a degree in film critique and appreciation. During his days in England, he wrote short stories for B.B.C Home service which was broadcast to British Audiences. Some of the stories that he is fondly remembered for is the “Ominous Sneeze”, and " It came from Heaven" broadcast on BBC Home Service. Remembering the adage ‘there is no place like home,’ he returned to Ghana to join the Ghana Film Industry Corporation (Now Gama Film Company (GFC)) in 1963, andwith dedication and hard work he became the Head of Production of the corporation. He then left Ghana in the early sixties to study at the Feature and Documentary Film Studious in Poland. Whilst at the Ghana Film Industry Corporation he wrote and directed several documentaries which dwelled on social, political and religious issues. Among his great works are “Panoply of Ghana”, THE MARKET DAY, CULT OF TWINS, POPULATION CENSUS, GOLDEN POD, RAINBOW COLORS, NEW BREED,GENESIS CHAPTER X(screenplay), NO TEARS FOR ANANSE (screenplay), DEATH ON WHEELS etc. He also wrote and directed " His Majesty’s Sergeant”; a film shot in 1983/84 on PANAVISION wide screen (35mm), with Tumi Ebow Ansa (Tommy Ebo Ansah), Tony Trent, Surinder Singh Ghuman, George Williams RIP, Kofi Men…