Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s ‘Agency for the Dead’ set for October 30 release

Ghanaian filmmaker Shirley Frimpong-Manso is set to release her latest film, Agency for the Dead, in cinemas on Friday, 30 October 2026.

The haunted comedy, produced by Sparrow Studios, will screen at Silverbird Cinemas at the Accra Mall and West Hills Mall, and subsequently at other locations across the country including the University of Cape Coast campus.

The film features Joselyn Dumas, Yvonne Okoro, Omari Dwamena, George Quaye, Rhoda Ampene, David Dontoh, Mawuli Gavor and Anita Erskine.

Written and directed byShirley Frimpong-Manso, Agency for the Dead follows two sisters who stage fake ghost encounters in an attempt to avoid eviction. Their scheme takes an unexpected turn when they inadvertently summon real supernatural entities, leaving them to deal with a series of chaotic events while trying to close the doorway between the living and the dead.

The filmmaker described the production as a departure into comedy, drawing inspiration from ghost stories and traditional Ghanaian beliefs about the supernatural.

Shirley said the film also draws on childhood memories and familiar Ghanaian folklore, offering audiences a humorous take on stories about ghosts and the afterlife.

The filmmaker also expressed confidence in the production’s comedic appeal, describing it as potentially the funniest film her team has made.

She also acknowledged the demands of making comedy, noting that getting audiences to laugh requires considerable effort.

The film’s release adds to Shirley's body of work, which includes The Perfect Picture, A Sting in a Tale, Adams Apples, 6 Hours to Christmas, Contract, Potomanto, Love or Something Like That, Rebecca and Potato Potahto.

Through Sparrow Studios, she has built a reputation for producing films that explore relationships, family, social expectations and contemporary Ghanaian life. Her previous work has earned her industry recognition, including honours at the Africa Movie Academy Awards and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

Beyond Agency for the Dead, Frimpong-Manso is collaborating with fellow filmmaker Peter Sedufia on The 70 Slate, a three-film initiative marking Ghana’s 70th Independence anniversary in 2027. The project brings together her Sparrow Studios and Sedufia’s OldFilm Productions to tell stories reflecting the country’s history, identity and aspirations.

The slate comprises The Return of Makunse, scheduled for December 2026; Nkrumah’s Red, Gold and Green, expected in July 2027; and I Told You So, planned for December 2027. The films will explore themes including migration, Ghana’s independence and contemporary society.

With Agency for the Dead, Frimpong-Manso turns to supernatural comedy, combining familiar Ghanaian folklore with a story built around deception, unexpected consequences and the boundary between the living and the dead.