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.

It is the event’s second iteration this year. The Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra will host the summit from October 7–10. The event’s topic is “The Relevance of Cinema in African Communities.”

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 regional area 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. Filmhouse Group, a Nigerian operator, promised after the event to release Ghanaian films in Nigeria and other partner countries. The top movie chain in Southern Africa, Ster-Kinekor, promised to investigate e-sports in its theaters, and Silverbird Ghana promised to include regional snacks in their movie meals.

As to the organizers’ statement, the objective of the current edition is to enhance the advancements in the African film industry by promoting teamwork, creativity, and long-term expansion. The theme of the 2024 summit is “increasing cinema investment due to the growth in quality of local content production and consumption.”

“Reimagining and rethinking cinema for Africa’s mass market segment” is another topic that will be covered in more detail at the summit. The summit will be attended by movie theater operators, investors and leaders in the business, as well as 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 staff consists of:

Moses Babatope, a former Group Managing Director at Filmhouse Group and co-founder

Rob Arthur, Entertainment Solutions’ founder and partner

Tim Yaw Struthers, Senior Advisor, National Film Authority of Ghana, Global Engagement

Ojoma Ochai, Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) Africa’s Managing Director

Funmi Onuma, Country Manager, Silverbird Cinemas

Asantewa Asante informed us this morning that “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. Additionally, 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 went on to say 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 “the growth in quality local content.”

According to her, “the lack of cinema infrastructure has meant the eroding of cinema culture in African communities,” meaning 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.” We need everyone in the film industry to accompany us on this trip because it holds the key to the sustainability of world and African cinema going forward.

Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, continued, saying, “Investing in the film industry is a smart move. There are many investment opportunities in this

sector, and we encourage anyone who is 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 Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, Ghana, will host the Africa Cinema Summit from October 7–10, 2024.

BY: APPIANIMAA MERCY