Movie posters are usually meant to give audiences a glimpse of what a film is actually about. But in Ghana, a completely different and wonderfully imaginative tradition took shape – one where creativity often mattered far more than accuracy.
The artworks you’re about to see come from painters connected with Deadly Prey Gallery, a traveling gallery that collaborates with artists in Accra, Ghana. Their goal is to preserve and promote the vibrant tradition of hand-painted Ghanaian movie posters while supporting the talented artists who continue to create them today.
Scroll down to see some of the most incredible examples of these imaginative movie posters.
This distinctive style dates back to the mobile cinema culture of the 1980s and 1990s, when traveling video clubs toured towns with a television, a VCR, and a generator to screen films. To attract audiences, local artists were asked to paint eye-catching posters – often without ever seeing the movie itself. Instead, they relied on brief descriptions, imagination, and their own dramatic flair.
The results were unforgettable. Action films became even more explosive, comedies sometimes looked surprisingly intense, and horror elements occasionally appeared where none existed. Over time, these posters grew into a celebrated art form, admired around the world for their bold colors, raw energy, and fearless creativity.
