David Dontoh
The second edition of the Africa Cinema Summit scheduled to take place from October 7 to 10, 2024, has been officially launched at the Accra Tourist Information Centre.
The focus of this year’s edition, with the theme, ‘The Relevance of Cinema in African Communities’, will be on how the rise in local content production and consumption quality is strengthening the need for further funding for theaters.
The summit is being organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) in partnership with the National Film Authority (NFA) and Silverbird Cinemas.
A number of well-known actors, actresses, and high-profile individuals who attended the launch included David Dontoh, Adjetey Anang, Bill Asamoah, Kafui Dey, and Mark Okraku-Mantey, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture.
Delegates from over 20 African nations will gather for a three-day conference to engage in critical discussion about the status of the continent’s film industry. Additionally, the summit will highlight the rising levels of local content production and audience, which increases funding for movie theaters.
Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture Mark Okraku-Mantey, speaking at the launch, revealed that the government is presently reviewing a tax exemption for Ghanaian filmmakers.
“We received a document from Juliet Asante and her team requesting a tax remission for the film business. The Attorney General’s office has received it. In response, the Attorney General raised a few queries. We are having a discussion because I just got back from Parliament,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority, Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante, also spoke about the dearth of theatres and urged performers to open their own theatres.
The chairman of the National Film Authority board, David Dontoh, emphasised the significance of holding these summits for the film industry.
The seasoned actor emphasised the importance of continuing to support the film industry’s expansion in order for future generations to recognise the contributions made by those who were concerned about its advancement.
“So that when we are not there, these seeds that we are sowing today will generate for succeeding generations to know and understand that, there were some people in this country who took particular interest in the development of the film industry,” he stated.
The Africa Cinema Summit (ACS) is a global gathering that brings together players from the film industry is called. It focuses on addressing issues that African cinema faces, and offers support to the expansion of the African film industry.