The Africa Cinema Summit will take place in Accra, the capital of Ghana, thanks to a new partnership between the National Film Authority of Ghana and regional theater chain Silverbird Cinemas. The Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra will host the summit from October 7–10, 2024. This year’s theme is “Increasing Cinema Investment Due to the Growth in Quality of Local Content Production and Consumption.”
It is the event’s second iteration. Representatives from 20 African nations participated in the first summit last year, which focused on investigating and customizing cinematic prospects to fit the distinctive qualities of each region on the continent. The area industry gained several strategic advantages as a result of the summit.
Nana Akufo-Addo, the president of Ghana, promised to support the country’s film sector by approving a film tax incentive. A few months later, the credit was formally passed as a 20% tax rebate. Following the event, Nigerian operator Filmhouse Group promised to release Ghanaian films in Nigeria and other partner countries. Southern Africa’s top movie chain, Ster-Kinekor, promised to investigate e-sports in its theaters, and Silverbird Ghana committed to including regional snacks in their movie meals.
According to the organizers, the objective of the current edition is to enhance advancements in the African film industry by promoting teamwork, creativity, and long-term expansion. Another topic that will be covered in detail at the summit is “Reimagining and Rethinking Cinema for Africa’s Mass Market Segment.” The summit will be attended by movie theater operators, investors, business leaders, producers, distributors, filmmakers, studios, legislators, and stakeholders from all over the continent and the world.
Under the direction of Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, CEO of the Ghanaian National Film Authority, the event’s executive team consists of:
- Moses Babatope, former Group Managing Director at Filmhouse Group and co-founder
- Rob Arthur, founder and partner at Entertainment Solutions
- Tim Yaw Struthers, Senior Advisor, National Film Authority of Ghana, Global Engagement
- Ojoma Ochai, Managing Director at Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) Africa
- Funmi Onuma, Country Manager at Silverbird Cinemas
Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante stated, “Africa’s cinematic prowess is undeniable, yet remains largely untapped.” The Africa Cinema Summit, Africa’s largest film festival, is part of a transformative journey that, according to the 2021 UNESCO Report, has the potential to generate over 20 million jobs and add an astounding $20 billion to the continent’s GDP. “I’m thrilled to have important figures from the international film, content, and creative industries return to work with me on this new edition and beyond.”
Asantewa Asante added that the objectives of this year’s event are to “introduce the cinema culture to Africa’s largely youth population who have never been to a cinema” and to improve the quality of local content. “The lack of cinema infrastructure has eroded cinema culture in African communities,” she noted, indicating that over 80% of Africans on the continent have never been to a movie theater. “We believe we can influence the 1 billion young people in Africa to consider cinema as a viable form of entertainment. This is a huge opportunity.”
Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, emphasized, “Investing in the film industry is a smart move. There are many investment opportunities in this sector, and we encourage anyone considering making investments in Ghana or anywhere in Africa to think about funding the studios and movie theaters that serve as the backbone of the industry. Given that this continent is where film will grow in the future, this can only result in significant returns on investment. Ghana is also dedicated to pursuing the legislative modifications required to support the development of a robust film industry.”
The Africa Cinema Summit will be held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, Ghana, from October 7–10, 2024.
By: Appianimaa Mercy
