Over the weekend, 14-year old Abraham Attah joined Cary Fukunaga, director of the movie ‘Beasts of No Nation’ at the 72nd Venice Film Festival.

Attah, who played a lead role of Agu, who when civil war engulfs his West African country is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters was awarded the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor at the scheme.

He spoke to the press about how he landed the role.

“We were in the school… we were playing football on our school field and a whiteman came and he said he need some boys for a movie. And we were playing football, and he said we should come so we went, … uhm we were auditioned. And we will be going to a TV station in Ghana for audition and I was cast.”

This should put to rest media reports and initial comment by the director of the movie that Attah was a street child.

Yesterday, a press release sent to us corrected the impression by the director of the movie and media reports that he was a street child.

We strongly state Abraham Attah is not a street child. He stays with his parent here in Ashiaman, Accra Ghana.

He was not picked up on the street for the movie Beasts of No Nation. He was spotted amongst other kids playing football on a park by the casting team who spoke to him about the film and he introduced them to his parent. And went through the audition process.

The movie partly shot in Ghana also stars Ama K. Abebrese, David Dontoh and Grace Omaboe.

Watch the interview below: