Rockville To Host Maryland Premiere of KING OF TƐMA, The First Feature Film From Tema, Ghana
Yoshow Place in Rockville will host two community screenings of KING OF TƐMA on Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23, 2026, marking the Maryland premiere of the first feature film ever produced in Tema, Ghana. The screenings are presented by Anibok Studios in collaboration with the Tema Friends Club of Maryland, a Ghanaian diaspora community organization rooted in the DMV region. Both evenings will conclude with a Q&A with the director, and the Saturday screening will be followed by an after-party.
Montgomery County is home to one of the largest and most established Ghanaian communities in the United States. For many of those residents, KING OF TƐMA represents something they have long awaited: a story from their home city, made by people who know it intimately, brought directly to their community. Tema, a port city of over 300,000 people on the coast of Ghana, has never before had a feature film made in its name. That changes this May in Rockville.
KING OF TƐMA is a powerful story of legacy, loyalty, and the weight of power. The film follows a commanding local figure whose kingdom is built on tradition and survival. When outside forces threaten the delicate balance he has spent a lifetime maintaining, he must confront what it truly means to lead, to protect, and to let go. Directed and produced by Kobina de Graft-Johnson of Anibok Studios in association with Organized Khaos, the film runs 2 hours and 8 minutes.
The official trailer is available at youtu.be/gqOj0TclMPw
The Rockville screenings are the third stop of the film's North American Screening Tour, following sold-out events in New York City, where more than 400 people attempted to attend a 120-seat premiere, and Jersey City. After Maryland, the tour continues to Toronto on June 12 and 13, before heading to Washington D.C., Worcester, Boston, and Atlanta through the summer.
The Tema Friends Club of Maryland has served as a cornerstone of the Ghanaian diaspora community in the DMV for years, creating cultural connections for Ghanaians and West Africans living across Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia. Their collaboration on the Rockville screenings reflects the kind of community-led partnership that makes cultural events of this significance possible.
“Maryland is home to one of the most vibrant Ghanaian communities in the country,” said de Graft-Johnson. “Bringing KING OF TƐMA to Rockville is not just a screening. It is bringing a piece of home to the people who have been away from it. We are proud to partner with the Tema Friends Club of Maryland to make that happen.”
KING OF TƐMA screens at Yoshow Place in Rockville on Friday, May 22, at 6:00 PM and Saturday, May 23, at 5:00 PM. Both screenings are open to the public and will include a Q&A with the director following the film. Tickets and full event information are available at king-show-wocdw8mk.manus.space.
With sold-out stops in New York City and Jersey City already behind it, KING OF TƐMA arrives in Rockville with momentum and purpose. For the Ghanaian diaspora of Montgomery County and the broader DMV, the May 22 and 23 screenings at Yoshow Place represent a rare and meaningful opportunity to see their story told on screen, in their own community, with their neighbors beside them.
About Anibok Studios
Anibok Studios is a New York-based video production and marketing company founded by Kobina de Graft-Johnson, operating at the intersection of African storytelling and American media infrastructure. KING OF TƐMA is its debut feature film. For more information, contact them at anibokstudios@gmail.com
About Tema Friends Club of Maryland
The Tema Friends Club of Maryland is a Ghanaian diaspora community organization based in Maryland, dedicated to celebrating Ghanaian culture, heritage, and community connection across the DMV region.
About Organized Khaos
Organized Khaos is a co-production company on KING OF TƐMA.