Some stories don’t arrive through words. They show up in motion—on boards, in waves, and in the spaces young people carve out for themselves.
OUR TOWN is one of them. Directed by Lounseny Soumah, the 35-minute documentary premiered yesterday at MK2 Bibliothèque in Paris. It follows Skate Tour GH, a 2022 road trip that brought together skaters and surfers from Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. Organized by DOLA in partnership with Surf Ghana, the tour became something more than just a trip. It captured what happens when young Africans take charge of how their stories are told.
Shot in Accra, Lomé, and Abidjan, the film doesn’t rely on spectacle. Its power lies in its intimacy. We witness friendships formed mid-ollie, fears shed on the shore, and the electricity of community charging every frame. These aren’t just skaters and surfers—they’re building cultural infrastructure, finding new ways to move through city and sea.
“This film is a bridge,” says the DOLA collective. “It shows that despite borders, language differences, or divergent histories, African youth share the same dreams and the same energy. Through culture, sport, and imagery, we can create real connections between countries across the continent. The diaspora has a role to play: to connect, amplify, and support this movement toward a more united, stronger Africa.”
That movement is already happening—in asphalt and ocean, in shared moments and self-expression.
To mark the film’s release, DOLA, Element, and Quiksilver hosted a one-night-only pop-up on June 19 at Talk Playground in Paris. At the center of the event was a limited capsule collection of skateboards and t-shirts, co-designed by the collaborators and shaped by the spirit of the tour.
Also launching is a photobook by Tora San Traoré, the Ivorian visual storyteller who documented the journey. His images bring another layer to the story—raw, grounded, and close-up. Only 600 copies will be released, each a snapshot of a growing movement. Tora will be present to sign them.
“Our Town tells the story of an awakening,” says Soumah. “A group of passionate young people who, through travel, come to understand the challenges facing their continent and witness the emergence of shared space and ideals. It’s about movement, discovery, hope, and change.”
The evening echoed with sound and energy: a DJ lineup featuring JEUNE LIO and BLACK CHARLE (Côte d’Ivoire), ALLMYSCOUSINS and TMSKDJ (Ghana), and PHIL EST MIGNON, with sets moving between cities, coastlines, and collective memory.
The capsule and photobook will be available online at thedola.com starting June 20.
While the premiere was private, momentum is building. OUR TOWN will screen publicly this September at the Paris Surf & Skate Film Festival.
For those who’ve been part of scenes like this—skating cracked sidewalks, sharing boards, learning to fall and keep moving—the film will feel familiar. And for everyone else, it’s a chance to see how a generation is shaping its own culture, one ride at a time.
