The once-thriving industry has been plagued with structural and financial difficulties, with emerging filmmakers finding it increasingly hard to break through.
Update: This post has been updated with comments from Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, the CEO of Ghana’s National Film Authority.
Dela Duvi began watching Ghanaian films as a child. It was a vibrant era of the film industry in Ghana when Duvi was introduced to pioneering filmmakers like King Ampaw, Kwaw Ansah, Abdul Salam Mumuni, Rev, Samuel Nyamekye and Shirley Frimpong-Manso. These filmmakers produced iconic projects that, although had strong moral slants, were an authentic representation of Ghanaian culture and values.
“Films like Love Brewed in the African Pot (1980), Road to Kukurantumi (1983), Kumasi Yonko (2002) and Life and Living It (2007) captivated me,” Duvi tells OkayAfrica. “The characters were relatable, their struggles and triumphs were universal, yet distinctly Ghanaian. The use of local languages, traditional music, costumes and the vibrant settings brought the stories to life in a way that felt both familiar and enlightening… These films also taught me about the power of narrative in shaping perceptions, building empathy and preserving culture.”
Now in his thirties and working as a filmmaker for the past six years, the once energetic Ghanaian film industry Duvi grew up knowing is in steep decline. In the mid-2000s, the industry birthed notable stars like Yvonne Nelson, Jackie Appiah, Nadia Buari, Majid Michel and Nana Ama Mcbrown — amongst others. Constant collaborations with neighboring Nigeria at the time further exported Ghana’s cinematic potential, paving the way for years of memorable and culture-shifting entertainment.
But while Nollywood has managed to evolve significantly, becoming an industry with a global reach, its Ghanaian counterpart’s output and international success have been limited.
Ghanaian films are hardly in cinemas and even when they are, there isn’t a strong cinema culture to draw significant interest. It’s a distressing situation for an industry that could and should be on par with Nollywood, with whom it has historically shared strong ties. So what went wrong and what does the future of the Ghanaian film industry look like? The answer, for filmmaker Spring Zakariah, is pretty simple: “I think the industry was unable to evolve properly,” she says. “They didn’t have the appropriate funds and they were not open to bringing up a new generation of filmmakers.”
A lack of infrastructure and strategy
“The infrastructure of film in Ghana feels non-existent,” Hadassah Boohene, a 25-year-old Ghanaian filmmaker says. “There are not many studios, sound stages, or equipment at our disposal. It’s insane to me because so many Ghanaians love films and stories, but there is an echoing disinterest in Ghanaian films in particular because the movies no longer live up to the task.”
Boohene, who started in the film industry as a writer, says the lack of adequate education has also been a major problem. “I had to pursue my studies in a different country because I did not feel like Ghana provided the resources or network I needed to develop my skill set or connect with opportunities,” she says.
These factors, combined with a struggling economy continue to make it difficult for new voices to break into the industry. Young filmmakers spoken to for this story have also pointed out that the presence of gatekeepers and industry veterans who are not often willing to take on other filmmaking roles apart from acting is affecting the level of investment the industry could be seeing.
For Duvi, the industry also failed to develop a strong strategy for growth. “It was largely driven by individual efforts rather than a unified, community-driven approach with clear, collective goals. As a result, many people entered the industry seeking personal gain rather than contributing to its long-term growth and sustainability,” he says.
Looking to the future
In recent years, Ghana’s National Film Authority has been making efforts to revitalize the industry. Last year, the body organized the African Cinema Summit, an event that brought stakeholders and key partners together to brainstorm and strike partnerships on the future of African cinema. At the event, Nigeria’s largest cinema and production group, Filmhouse Group, committed to distributing Ghanaian films, but so far in 2024, hardly any Ghanaian films have been available to watch at Filmhouse’s cinemas in the region. Even at the local Silverbird cinema, the number of Ghanaian films available to cinema-goers is few and far between.
But Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority, is optimistic in the body’s strategic partnerships and mission to tackle shortage of cinema screens, fight the death of cinema culture, improve the production of local content, while also involving the government in this development effort. “The goal is to position Ghana as a film and content hub and a major player and facilitator across the entire region for content development,” Asante tells OkayAfrica. This year, the body is set to host its second summit, one that will double down on creating stronger cinema networks across the continent and the possibilities of co-production with other African countries to increase market reach.
Zakariah believes that increased access to educational resources and a conscious inclusion of fresh voices in the industry would help resuscitate the industry. In Nigeria for instance, training institutions like EbonyLife Creative Academy and MultiChoice Talent Factory (which also has academies in Kenya and Zambia) churn out hundreds of empowered graduates each year, all specialized in various aspects of filmmaking.
“Educational facilities, filmmaking communities, grants, provision of filming gear to either borrow or rent at affordable prices as well as employment opportunities. However, even with us not having access to a lot of resources, we have been able to make a lot happen,” she says, referring to the film projects that emerging filmmakers like herself have produced. “Can you imagine what we can produce with the right amount of support?”
Duvi and Hadassah also echo similar sentiments, additionally calling for an ecosystem of collaboration and increased investment from private bodies. As Duvi says, “Investors and corporate entities must be made aware of the significant potential and benefits the film industry offers. By recognizing its value not only to filmmakers but also to the broader economy, they can be encouraged to invest and support the industry.”
Ultimately, the fight to revive the Ghanaian film industry is one that is crucial to the preservation of history and culture, as well as a return to unforgettable times. In Hadassah’s words, “I wonder, ‘are we going to be resigned to watching foreign films for the rest of our lives?’
Source: Okayafrica
