ONLY IN GHANA: 125 Movies Released In 2 Weeks

I have now come to understand why films produced in Kumasi, popularly known as Kumawood movies, keep swarming our television screens and movie market like bees on a beehive.

Finally, the President of the Film Producers Association of Ghana FIPAG, Mr. Steven Hackman Asare, has revealed that the association, together with Film Distributors Association of Ghana shall be limiting the number of films released unto the movie market.

GhanaCelebrities.Com asked him why such a move and he responded “the movies our brothers in Kumasi release unto the market are too much; notwithstanding their quality and the market we have. Can you imagine in December 2013, 125 movies were released in 2 weeks?

“Where in this world will this happen? Not even in Bollywood or Hollywood! FIPAG in collaboration with the Film Distributors Association, shall be putting stringent rules in place to limit the number of movies released per week so that ‘nobody’ at all can just wake up, do anything, and expect it to be released as movie.” At least 10 movies released peer week is not bad all!”

In 2012, the then FIPAG executives embarked on this journey of limiting the number of films released unto the movie market but unfortunately, the whole initiative was chocked with politics. Filmmakers who had close relations with the officers at the Film Distributors Association of Ghana at Opera were alleged to have been using their relationship to have their movies released even when their movies were not due for release.

Also, it was alleged that the release date became a hot cake; as some rich producers paid their way through to have their movies released. Some filmmakers were alleged to have paid between GHC 1,000 – 3,000 to have their movies released. At the end of the day, they returned to what we now have as 125 movies released within 2 weeks.

We hope Mr. Hackman’s words don’t end up in what we call, ‘nine day wonder’ but end up becoming a success story. One hundred and twenty five (125) movies released in a fortnight is indeed a big fat NO for any responsible movie industry. We live to see. Until then…MOTWUM!!