The state of the Ghana Film Industry is dire. I have sat back and watched keenly the semblance of a revival taking place in the industry and doff my hat to filmmakers such as Kwaw Ansah, Shirley Frimpong Manso and Leila Djansi for keeping the Film Industry alive.
Other film makers including Socrates Safo and Abdul Salam Mumuni have also made a name for themselves. I dare say however that the Ghana Film Industry is on the brink of death.
In 1948, the Gold Coast Film Unit was set up within the Information Services Department (ISD). Shortly after Independence, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah created the State Film Company which later became the Ghana Film Industry Corporation. Nkrumah built the very first complete Film facility which then included the Information Services Department film Unit building opposite the French Embassy and the whole of the Land currently housing Afrikiko restaurant at Kanda as well as the premises of TV3.
In the early days of filmmaking, stalwarts such as Rev. Chris Hesse, Tom Riberio, R.A. Fenuku, Frank Parks, Sam Aryittey and Ashong Katai gave their all to nurture an industry that was new and vibrant. From the early 1960’s all the way to the mid 1970’s, the Ghana Film Industry welcomed film makers from Nigeria, Togo, Senegal and Kenya. These students of Film came to Ghana to learn from the very best in Africa. How quickly did the tables turn!