The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II
The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has asserted that the decline of Ghana’s film industry is due to the sale of GAMA Film Company Ltd, formerly known as Ghana Films Industry Corporation (GFIC), over a decade ago.
As reported by graphic.com.gh, the Ga Mantse, during a visit from the National Film Authority (NFA) led by CEO Juliet Asante, stated that this sale disrupted the growth and potential of the industry.
According to him, in the 1980s, Ghana was a leader in African cinema, producing exceptional films like Kwaw Ansah’s “Love Brewed in an African Pot” and King Ampaw’s “Kukurantumi – The Road to Accra.”
However, His Royal Majesty noted that the dynamics have shifted, with Nigeria now at the forefront of African film production.
He attributed this change to the absence of local production companies like GAMA Films, which once drove the creation of high-quality local content.
“I believe the sale of GAMA Films disrupted the Ghana Film industry because they were producing local content. Today, TV series such as Obra, Osofo Dadzie are no more when they were strong communication tools to tell our stories,” he said.
This absence, he noted, left a void filled by foreign telenovelas dubbed in local languages.
He expressed concern that these foreign shows fail to reflect and promote Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, leading to a cultural disconnect.
“These foreign telenovelas dubbed in our local languages shouldn’t be encouraged. We watch the actors in their traditional costumes among others which results in us embracing other cultures at the expense of ours,” he stated.
He urged the NFA to prioritise the production of local content that projects Ghana’s culture and traditions.
He suggested that the history of the Ga State, for example, offers rich stories that could be explored to teach future generations about their heritage.
King Tackie accepted the invitation to be the Guest of Honour at this year’s Africa Cinema Summit (ACS), scheduled for October 7–9, 2024, where he hopes to address these issues and advocate for the revitalisation of Ghana’s film industry.
ID/ ADG
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