Showing local films on television banned

From July 1, 2021 – filmmakers have been asked to stop selling their feature films to owners of television stations for public viewing in ways of addressing the challenges faced by the movie Industry.

This was made known by the leadership of filmmakers, that is, Film Producers Association, Markers & Distributors Association, Film Crew Association, Ghana Academy of Film & Television Arts.

In a press release, the groups stated that all feature films already sold to TV channels can show until the agreed date expires adding the contract should not be renewed.

According to the leadership, the new directive comes after a strategy session was held with the key stakeholders to access how to revive the movie industry.

The stakeholders said they came to a realization that one of the major setbacks to the collapse of the Ghana film industry was the unavailability of a market to distribute the products for economic value.

“The key stakeholders and enterprises of the Ghana film industry have come to a realization that, one of the major set-backs to the collapse of the Ghana film industry was the unavailability of market to distribute the products for economic value.

“To fully appreciate this and other challenges and how to overcome them to unlock the huge potentials of the industry, it was appropriate to convene the various leadership in the film market (i.e. Film Producers Association, Markers & Distributors Association, Film Crew Association and Other stakeholders) to unravel the challenges surrounding the  Marketing of the films produced and recommend pragmatic steps for its implementation” part of their statement reads.

It added, “In light of these, a 3-day strategy session was organized and sponsored by the Ghana Tourism Authority to understand the challenges and the reasons behind the collapse of the film industry, and to enable them put together solutions to revive the Exhibition, Marketing and Sales of Ghanaian movies, which once was a model for Film Producers across the world. We would therefore like to use this medium to notify all our film producers that;

1. From 1st July, 2021 No film producer or film maker shall sell any feature film to any TV station in Ghana to air until further notice.
2. All feature films already sold to these TV channels can show until the agreed date expires and thereafter cannot be renewed.
3. Any Producer or film Marketer who flouts these directives shall be sanctioned accordingly.”