James Gardiner urges Ghanaians to intentionally support local films to boost the industry
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The actor and Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority says Ghana’s population size should not determine the commercial potential of its films.
Gardiner argues that some Ghanaians scrutinise home-grown productions more harshly than foreign films instead of appreciating the work involved. Actress Yvonne Okoro shares similar concerns about the lack of support for local filmmakers.
The Authority is promoting initiatives such as the Film Development Fund to support production, distribution, marketing, training and cinema infrastructure.
Speaking on Joy FM's 'Showbiz A-Z' with arts and culture journalist Kwame Dadzie, Gardiner said audience backing and a strong production environment were essential to the growth of Ghana's film industry.
He said;
We can do all the work. We can make sure that we create an enabling environment for all our stakeholders, producers and what not. It can be as vibrant as it should be. But if we don’t have that support system backing us, it’s not going to work
Gardiner maintained that a well-made film could reach audiences beyond Ghana, regardless of the country's population size.
He added;
If a film is good, it will travel. When a film is good, forget the numbers, it will travel, but it still plays a key role
He also criticised what he described as the tendency of some Ghanaians to scrutinise local productions more harshly than foreign films. According to him, viewers sometimes watch Ghanaian movies primarily to identify flaws instead of appreciating the work that goes into making them.
He said, urging audiences to place greater value on home-grown productions;
We make excuses for the foreign stuff and we are so critical, judgemental and so hard on our very own
Actress Yvonne Okoro, who also featured on the programme, shared similar concerns about the challenges facing local filmmakers. She said producers were working hard to sustain their businesses but often received criticism rather than the support needed to keep the industry going.
Okoro argued that some Ghanaians were more willing to enjoy foreign films, even when their quality was questionable, while holding local productions to stricter standards.
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Meanwhile, the National Film Authority has been pursuing initiatives to strengthen the country's film industry. These include the Film Development Fund, which is intended to support film development, production, distribution, marketing, training and cinema infrastructure.
The Authority has also engaged industry players through the National Film Dialogue and supported efforts to expand film education and screenings across the country.
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