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When history’s most prestigious prize honors a filmmaker of Ghanaian descent, it sends a clear signal about whose narratives shape our collective memory. Fred Kudjo Kuwornu—son of a father from Ghana’s Volta Region and a mother from Bologna, Italy—is among the two African recipients of the Dan David Prize this year, standing alongside nine distinguished scholars and artists. Established in 2001, the award recognizes up to nine early- and mid-career visionaries annually, granting each laureate US $300,000. It celebrates projects that cross disciplinary boundaries to illuminate the past in ways that resonate with today’s audiences, past winners including filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, author Margaret Atwood, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. For Kuwornu, this recognition is both a personal milestone and a victory for Ghana’s global diaspora, affirming that stories anchored in African heritage have the power to inspire on the world stage.
Kuwornu’s body of work is defined by a transnational gaze and a commitment to cultural representation. A “multi‑hyphenate, socially engaged artist, filmmaker, curator, and cultural innovator,” he draws inspiration from the intersection of his African roots and European upbringing. He began his cinematic journey working on Spike Lee’s 2008 film Miracle at St. Anna, before moving on to direct his own acclaimed documentaries. Inside Buffalo (2010) explored the overlooked stories of African American soldiers in World War II; 18 Ius Soli (2012) confronted the struggle for citizenship rights among second-generation immigrants in Italy; and Blaxploitalian (2016) chronicled over a century of Black representation in Italian cinema.
His latest work, We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, expands this mission to a pan-European narrative. Premiering in 2024 at the 60th Venice Art Biennale, curated by Adriano Pedrosa, the documentary takes viewers on a journey through Italy, Spain, Portugal, the UK, France, and the Netherlands to reveal the forgotten presence of African diplomats, artists, scholars, and knights who once moved through Europe’s royal courts. Blending reenactments of Renaissance masterpieces with contemporary visual techniques, Kuwornu breathes life into figures who have often been frozen in static imagery, restoring their agency and humanity.
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Kuwornu credits his dual heritage as a guiding force, enabling him to tell stories that resonate across continents. Through conversations with leading historians, curators, and activists, the film challenges Eurocentric narratives and sheds light on Africa’s role in shaping European history. The production process resembled a form of visual archaeology, reconstructing lives like those of Juan Latino—the first African professor at a Spanish university—João de Sá Panasco, a celebrated Portuguese knight, and Saint Benedict the Moor, the son of enslaved Africans who became a revered Franciscan friar and a symbol of spiritual resilience in 16th-century Sicily. The film also revisits other overlooked figures of African descent who shaped Renaissance courts and culture. When archival images were absent, Kuwornu and his team turned to historical reconstructions, creating vivid, imaginative spaces that invite audiences to rethink art and memory. He envisions the film as both a traditional documentary and a hybrid video installation, perfectly suited for museums and cultural spaces where viewers can engage in a deeper dialogue about representation.
Winning the Dan David Prize places Kuwornu among a generation of groundbreaking filmmakers of African descent, positioning him as a voice that continues the legacy of visionaries like John Akomfrah, whose work has redefined how African histories are seen and interpreted on screen. For Kuwornu, this recognition is not just a testament to his past work but a catalyst for future projects. His company, Do The Right Films, is already developing an ambitious video installation centered on Ghana’s Adinkra symbols—visual motifs that embody philosophical wisdom and cultural values—enhanced through cutting-edge artificial intelligence. This endeavor aims to bring Ghanaian heritage into conversation with global contemporary art and technology, further solidifying Ghana’s influence on the international creative landscape.
Having had the honor of exhibiting in the Biennale’s Central Pavilion, Kuwornu now dreams of a future where Ghana will once again have a dedicated Pavilion in Venice Biennial Art, showcasing the country’s thriving artistic voices. Kuwornu's journey is not just personal—it symbolizes the broader cultural ascent of Africa’s diaspora within global discourse.
US- Ghanaian artist Fred Kudjo Kuwornu wins $300 000 Dan David Prize, the world’s largest history award
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu’s Dan David Prize victory underscores the transformative power of African narratives. By unearthing hidden histories and challenging entrenched perspectives, his work invites both Ghanaian and global audiences to reimagine the past and embrace a more inclusive future. As We Were Here continues to reach new audiences and the Adinkra installation takes shape, Kuwornu’s voice is emerging as one of the most vital in contemporary cinema and cultural storytelling, carrying forward the path blazed by legends like John Akomfrah.
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