The Life I Lived Not
Directed by Nana Kobbah
Ghana · 2026 · 4 min · Drama
Submitted to OnShow International Film Festival 2026Synopsis
Once celebrated as a bundle of joy, a young girl imagines she can become anything. But the promise of adulthood gives way to domestic abuse, and possibility narrows into a daily struggle concealed behind carefully prepared smiles. Told through poetic narration and evocative imagery, The Life I Lived Not follows a Ghanaian woman from childhood dreams through adult suffering to the ambiguities of later life. Looking back, she questions whether surviving is the same as having lived. Her reflection becomes a wish for her daughters, sons and grandchildren: that their futures might hold something different. In a final act of writing, she turns private regret into a plea against the repetition of pain.
Director
Samuel Kobbah Quaicoe, professionally known as Nana Kobbah, is a Ghanaian filmmaker, screenwriter, copywriter, photographer, voice-over artist and actor. His multidisciplinary practice spans socially engaged storytelling, performance and film industry advocacy. His work includes 'Conserve Water', a finalist in the micro-fiction category of the 2015/16 We Art Water Film Festival. His screen acting credits include 'Kuwululu', directed by Dolunay Gördüm and produced through a collaboration between Ghana’s National Film and Television Institute and the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. His voice acting credits include 'Agorkoli', directed by Francis Y. Brown, and 'Mighty Joo' by Parables Studio, alongside voice-over work for documentaries and radio advertisements. Beyond his creative practice, Kobbah contributes to Ghana’s screen sector through his service as Acting Organising Secretary of the Screenwriters Guild of Ghana, participating in industry discussions on professional standards, collaboration and opportunities for emerging filmmakers. His short film 'The Life I Lived Not' combines poetic narration, symbolic imagery and expressive colour to examine domestic abuse, concealed suffering and the distance between childhood aspirations and adult experience. Across his creative work and industry involvement, Kobbah brings a concern for intimate human experiences and a commitment to the growth and visibility of Ghanaian storytelling.
Trailer
Watch the authorized trailer ↗
Film stills
Publicity materials supplied or expressly authorized by the rights holder. Publication is separate from festival selection.
OnShow International Film Festival — Inaugural Edition · 2026