Inaugural Africa Cinema Summit to Uplift Continent’s Film Industry: Ghana to Host Historic Event

Accra, August 17, 2023: The stage is set for a groundbreaking event in the realm of African cinema as the National Film Authority (NFA) partners with the FilmOne Group from Nigeria and Silverbird Cinema from Ghana to present the inaugural Africa Cinema Summit (ACS). Scheduled to unfold from November 14th to 16th at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel and Silverbird Cinema in Accra, Ghana, the summit aims to propel the African film industry to new heights by fostering growth, innovation, and collaboration.

The ACS, a pivotal moment in the history of African cinema, aspires to unite stakeholders from around the world under the common banner of nurturing the industry. With a primary focus on insightful industry dialogues, opportunity exchanges, and forging strategic partnerships, this initiative is the first of its kind on the African continent, aiming to address the unique challenges and opportunities of African cinema.

Africa’s cinema distribution landscape remains vastly underserved, with a mere 1,653 screens catering to a population of 1.3 billion, according to UNESCO. The ACS endeavors to delve into the intricate dimensions of the African cinema landscape through panel discussions, keynote speeches, and presentations by industry experts and decision-makers. The summit’s central theme will encompass current trends, challenges, and exceptional prospects inherent in African cinema and distribution networks.

Key highlights of the event include a vibrant showcase of African films, an exhibition area featuring cutting-edge technologies shaping the industry, business matchmaking sessions, panel discussions, keynote speeches, networking opportunities, and presentations spanning various facets of the cinema industry, from production to marketing and emerging technologies.

Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority of Ghana, emphasized the significance of the ACS: “Africa is cinema’s greatest opportunity in the 21st century, and the Africa Cinema Summit (ACS) serves as a call and pathway to realizing the potential of cinema for both the people of Africa and the cinema world globally. Cinema energizes communities socially, culturally, and economically, and at a time when over 40% of the global youth population is projected to be in Africa in just a few years, the Africa Cinema Summit is extremely timely.”

Moses Babatope, Co-Founder and Group Deputy Managing Director of the FilmOne Group, expressed enthusiasm for the event’s impact on the cinema business in Africa: “The collective vision is to foster a dynamic platform for industry players to converge, interact, and forge robust partnerships that will galvanize the cinema ecosystem in Africa.”

Funmi Onuma, Country Manager of Silverbird Cinemas, Ghana, highlighted the event’s role in shaping the future of the film industry: “We see this relationship with the NFA for the ACS as a positive step since it will set the platform for meaningful industry discussions and help forge a more exciting future for the film industry.”

As Africa’s film industry takes center stage, the ACS promises to illuminate the path forward, bringing together minds and talents from across the globe to enrich and elevate African cinema. The summit is poised to ignite conversations, cultivate connections, and catalyze transformation within the African film ecosystem.

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