Popular Ghanaian actor Kwadwo Nkansah “Lilwin” has welcome President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s US$25 million investment in Ghana’s film industry.
The award-winning actor in an interview with GNA Entertainment said the investment had come at the right time where movie stakeholders were doing their best to revive the industry.
He said, “The investment has come at the right time where all film stakeholders are striving hard to revamp the industry. I urge all stakeholders who are going to be in charge of the project not to be selective in their dealings so as not to jeopardize the President’s dreams of making the industry vibrant and competitive.
“We all have to come together and support this move because movies contribute to the happiness of the people as well promoting our arts and culture,’’ Lilwin said.
Lilwin added that local filmmakers had the capabilities of generating storylines that could compete on the international film market but their problems were always associated with lack of financing which he believes the president’s investment could make a huge difference.
President Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday (28 April) assured all stakeholders in the film and creative arts sector that his administration will work hard to make the industry competitive and profitable.
Addressing the first in a series of the Presidential Film Pitch in Accra under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the National Film Authority (NFA), Akufo-Addo noted that countries such as the United States and Nigeria, have built profitable film industries and Ghana is capable of doing same.
“I am aware that the Ghanaian film industry has many fine, talented players along the value chain and government will continue to initiate policies and programmes to help make the Ghanaian film sector competitive and viable. The National Film Authority will lead the charge in introducing business development modules into film making, production and distribution in order to help create a vibrant market for local film production,” Akufo-Addo said.
“Take for instance the American film industry, better known as Hollywood, which supports some twenty-two million jobs and a staggering wage bill of US$137 billion. In neighboring Nigeria, Nollywood is said to contribute some US$600 million to the country’s gross domestic product and create some one million jobs,” he added.
Presidential film pitch series
The Presidential Film Pitch Series is a film activation program in Ghana aimed at creating the platform for Ghanaian filmmakers with projects within the Ghanaian film ecosystem to engage investors, broadcasters, distributors, sponsors and platforms around the world for potential collaborations, sponsorships, investments, sales and advertising opportunities. 100 projects in the form of documentaries, feature films, short films, series, games, film infrastructure were received by the National Film Authority (NFA) from Ghanaian film entrepreneurs.
Out of the numbers received, 25 projects have been shortlisted. The goal is for each shortlisted project to close deals that will bring it to fruition.