Check out the trailer for Ghanaian feature “Zjili: A Story of Sisterhood and The Burdens of Excess,” which will have its world premiere at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival, running from 10–20 September 2026.
Co-directed by Christine Boateng and Hajara Musah Chambas, “Zjili” follows Zoya, who leaves a village in northern Ghana for the national capital, Accra, and becomes a kayayo: a woman working as a head porter.
The story draws from the experiences of several kayayei, who carry 55-kilogram bales of imported secondhand clothing around Kantamanto, Accra’s principal secondhand clothing market.
The film is part of TIFF's Discovery programme, a 24-title selection devoted to new global filmmaking voices. It includes 17 world premieres and seven international premieres.