The inaugural Africa Cinema Summit ended in Ghana on Thursday, November 16, 2023.
On the first day of the three-day event, industry experts led panel discussions on crucial topics such as “Fostering collaborations among African countries,” “Role of the Youth in Cinema Development in Africa,” and “Youth–Centric Film Marketing: Strategies for the Digital Age.”
Among the key speakers for day one were Moses Babatope, Co-Founder/Group Deputy Managing Director for FilmHouse Group; Carl Ampah, National Program Officer for Culture (UNESCO); filmmaker, Nana Asihene, Tony Asankomah, Founder of GHMoviefreak.com; Ama Ablorde, Filmmaker; Nowe Segun-Ojo, Communications Manager, FilmHouse Group; and filmmaker Majeed Suhuyini.
The others are Nana Kwame Obiri-Tete, Sales and Marketing Lead, Silverbird Cinemas, Ghana; and Adesola Hane Ade-Unigbe, Entertainment Content Partnership lead, Sub-Saharan Africa, Tiktok.
A clarion call was issued to filmmakers across Africa to join forces and collaborate effectively to harness the continent’s rich cultural heritage and propel the growth of the film industry at the three-day event.
With its vibrant tapestry of cultures, histories, and societies, Africa boasts a filmmaking legacy that stretches back to the emigration era.
However, the industry has faced challenges in accurately portraying its cultures, often being relegated to mere backdrops for Western narratives. This disconnect underscores the urgent need for change.
“It’s time for Africa to assert its voice on the global cinema stage…Let us foster collaboration, share resources, and unite in our commitment to creating a thriving African film industry.” Edward Moukala, the head of UNESCO’s Accra office declared.
The CEO of the National Film Authority, Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante said she always had the same sense when attending international industry events: African cinema had so much more potential to deliver.
“We’re telling local filmmakers that look, your content cannot survive only in Ghana. First of all, you need to make sure that your film makes it through festivals and cinemas, but also you need to take your film outside of Ghana.
And for your film to do well means that you’re able to tell a story that resonates, and a good story is a good story.” She said.
Speaking on the second day of the summit at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo recognised the profound impact of an empowered film industry, underscoring its role as a catalyst for sustainable development across African nations.
Some of the moderators of the summit included Apiorkor Ashong-Abbey of Citi FM/Citi TV and Jay Foley. Some of the actors who also attended the summit were Adjetey Anang, Abeiku, Michael Blackson, and Akofa Ejeani Asiedu.
The Africa Cinema Summit (ACS) is a three-day summit that brings stakeholders from the cinema industry value chain across the world to Africa.
The summit is unique as it is the first of its class to be held in Africa and it focuses on the peculiarities in the African cinema space as well as the challenges and the numerous opportunities the industry offers.
This is a result-oriented summit, skewed towards creating a compelling and conducive avenue for participants to network, foster partnerships, generate leads, and possibly close deals during the event and thereafter.
