The Ghanaian film industry, often referred to as Ghallywood, has a rich history that mirrors the country's cultural evolution and socio-economic development. Early film making in Ghana dates back to 1923 when it was first introduced to the British colony of Gold Coast (now Ghana).
Early Cinema in Ghana
In the early 1920s, individuals in the private sector initiated the introduction of film to Ghana, then known as the Gold Coast, by establishing cinemas in urban centers. By 1923, cinema emerged as a novel form of entertainment, albeit accessible primarily to the affluent segments of society, including colonial leaders and their top officials.
Recognizing the dual potential of film for both entertainment and societal influence, the colonial authorities established the Gold Coast Film Unit within the Information Services Department in 1948. This unit utilized green-yellow Bedford buses to screen documentary films, newsreels, and government information films to the public at no cost.
These films included propaganda related to World War II, produced by the Colonial Film Unit (CFU) in London. Post-war, the unit shifted towards producing educational and feature films tailored for its African colonies. These productions aimed to contrast Western "civilised" lifestyles with perceived African "backwardness," advocating for the cessation of "superstitious" customs.
Additionally, the Gold Coast Film Unit produced films focused on local interests, promoting improvements in health, agriculture, living standards, marketing, and community cooperation. In 1948, the unit initiated training programs for local African filmmakers and facilitated film exchanges with other British colonies in Africa.
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The Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC)
Before the emergence of the Ghana Film Industry, the government was the sole producer of films in the country, inheriting this role from the colonial administration. In 1964, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, established the Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC) in Kanda, Accra.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah sent numerous Ghanaians abroad for training in filmmaking to ensure the effective operation of the GFIC. GFIC was established to use indigenous Ghanaian made films to reverse the negative impact of the films made by the colonial government and to restore the pride of being a Ghanaian and an African in the citizens. More than 150 feature and documentary films were produced by the GFIC by the late 1960s.
The Rise of Independent Filmmaking
In 1981, Kwaw Ansah produced the first independent film, Love Brewed in the African Pot, shot on celluloid film. Following suit, King Ampaw released his film Kukurantumi - The Road to Accra in 1982.
By the mid-1980s, a new generation, led by William Akuffo, embraced video technology, using VHS cameras to shoot feature-length films from 1986. Ghana was the first country in the world to use VHS cameras to shoot feature-length films. Since the late 1980s, the making of direct-to-video films has increased in Ghana.
Funds for cinematography were hard to come by for both the state-owned Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC) and for independent film makers. Therefore, people in Ghana began to make their own films using VHS video cameras. The independent filmmakers created their own Ghanaian stories and scripts of the films, assembled actors, both professionals and amateurs and made successful films especially in Accra. Income from these VHS video movies helped to support the film industry.
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In the 1980s, when the filmmakers started making the video-films, GFIC rose bitterly against it. The authorities of the GFIC did not see the future of video technology becoming part of the global format of filmmaking so they practically rose against it and made it difficult for the independent producers in Ghana at the time. GFIC prohibited their film directors to assist the independent producer in making the video-films.
After some years, GFIC started to offer technical support to the VHS filmmakers in exchange for the right to first screening in its Accra cinemas. Their films had become very popular since the Ghanaians were seeing true narratives of who they were through these films made by indigenous Ghanaian filmmakers. By the early 1990s, approximately fifty VHS video movies per year were made in Ghana.
Challenges and Transformations
In 1996, the government of Ghana sold seventy percent of the equity in the GFIC to the Malaysian television production company, Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad of Kuala Lumpur. This also affected the rising film industry in the country very badly. GFIC was in charge of about half the cinema-theatres in the country at the time. The sales of the 70% of GFIC collapsed the cinema industry.
Films made in the Twi dialect are known as Kumawood films. English-speaking Ghanaian films are sometimes known as "Ghallywood" productions. And all the films made in Ghana are referred to as the Ghana Films since there is no official name yet.
Ghanaian films often explore themes related to culture, tradition, and social issues. Many films delve into the complexities of Ghanaian identity, reflecting the tension between modernity and tradition. Issues such as gender roles, family dynamics, and the impact of globalization are frequently depicted.
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Modern Ghallywood and the Future
Last September, I wrote an article on the story of the Ghanaian movie industry which talked about its recent history as well. Since then, there have been many Ghanaian movies that have come out, some of which I've seen and the industry continues to grow. Ghanaian movies are starting to gun for awards. Revele Productions' 'Run Baby Run' has been the most successful movie to date while Agony of the Christ picked up a bunch of nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAAs).
So aside Ghanaian movies enjoying massive popularity following the fame that carried Beyonce - The President's Daughter into many homes around the world, they are winning awards as well. It's clear Ghanaian movies are improving in quality, visibility, and significance. Shirley Frimpong-Manso's Sparrow Productions is carrying the torch and setting the bar for quality production.
They premiered their movies at the National Theatre when their competitors (Nollywood inclusive) were sending their movies straight to VCD. If Ghanaians see quality, they will pay for it, it didn't matter if they had to pay $20 to see a Ghanaian movie once. Other movie houses have latched onto the movie-theatre idea and we've seen AA Productions do the same for theirs. When Ghanaians go to the Silverbird theater to watch movies, they can choose to watch Ghanaian-made movies. That's a big plus!
The Perfect Picture soundtrack featured more Ghanaian acts, making use of popular tracks like Asem's Pigaro and introducing us to newer songs/acts like Miss Jane and Souljas Inn. The Perfect Picture was so good I had to blog about it twice - review and soundtrack. I loved the fact that Jackie Appiah had a role in the Perfect Picture. She stated herself that that production was the best she'd been part of.
Sparrow's movies have been criticized as elitist and they should find a way to make a movie which resonates more with Ghanaians. What happened to Revele Productions? They've been quiet since 'Run Baby Run' though they have been continuing with their TV series like 'Home Sweet Home'. There was also 'No Time to Die' which was good. 'Ananse must die' is the only animated Ghanaian movie I've seen and that was a great effort, and there's no reason we can't see more of those.
A lot of top movies these days are based off true stories. This can happen in Ghana too. Why hasn't anyone done a movie on the story of Yaa Asantewaa? I hope we are not waiting for international producers to make movies out of popular Ghanaian novels like 'Our Sister Killjoy', etc. We have great storytellers and writers in Ghana and they should partner with our film people to make movies. We need more depth in our scripts. Let's see that Ghanaian science fiction novel come through and its subsequent debut on the big screen.
I am also a little concerned about how Ghanaian movie houses can make money. Though one may want to make quality, the product must be affordable. I think Ghanaian movie houses should focus on using the cinemas (revive Rex and Roxy) or use big spaces like the National Theatre, Tech's Great Hall, etc. There is a huge market for Ghanaian movies amongst various communities abroad so we can organize premieres in places in like Maryland, Columbus (Ohio), Alexandria (Virginia), New York, Amsterdam, London, Hamburg, etc.
The government must step and help fund quality and work to enforce copyright laws. It's about time we had a movie standards board in Ghana or a way to rate and review movies. If we are able to separate the 5-star movies from the average ones, we'll force our movie producers to do better. It works in Hollywood.
The future of Ghanaian cinema looks promising, with a new generation of filmmakers emerging who are keen on pushing the boundaries of storytelling. The rise of digital platforms has provided new opportunities for distribution, allowing Ghanaian films to reach a global audience. Additionally, there is a growing interest in Ghanaian cinema from international audiences, which could lead to increased investment and collaboration with foreign filmmakers.
Edward Moukala, head of UNESCOâs Accra office, called for unified efforts to foster a vibrant film industry, while Ghanaian filmmaker and National Film Authority CEO Juliet Asante emphasized the need for African filmmakers to expand beyond local markets. The second edition of the Summit took place in Accra in October 2024 organized under the theme of âThe Relevance of Cinema in African Communities".
While there has been extensive research on English language media in Ghana, there remains a huge gap in indigenous language media research. I argue that to understand how the Dagbanli movie industry has been sustained for three decades, it is imperative to examine critically the industryâs history and the innovative strategies filmmakers have employed to keep up with changing trends in technology and aesthetics in the film industry.
Ghanaian filmmakers draw on DagbaÅ culture (one of the major ethnic groups in Ghana) and film industries in the Global South to address the needs of their audiences while funding their films independently.
The history of Indian cinema
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1923 | Introduction of cinema in Ghana by private individuals in urban areas. |
| 1948 | Establishment of the Gold Coast Film Unit by colonial authorities. |
| 1964 | Establishment of the Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC) by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. |
| 1981 | Release of "Love Brewed in the African Pot," the first independent film by Kwaw Ansah. |
| 1986 | Adoption of VHS cameras for shooting feature-length films. |
| 1996 | Sale of 70% equity in GFIC to a Malaysian television production company. |
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