Actress Gloria Sarfo has registered her disappointment with organizers of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) after an incident at the airport left her and several Ghanaian filmmakers stranded and embarrassed.
According to Gloria, what was promised as an all-expenses-paid trip to Lagos, Nigeria, for the 2024 awards turned into a distressing experience when she and her colleagues discovered that their flight tickets were invalid.
In a social media post, Sarfo explained that she, along with other prominent Ghanaian actors, including veteran filmmakers Abdul Salam Mumuni, Akorfa Edjeani Asiedu, and Julia Apea, faced hours of waiting at the airport without any support or clear communication from the organizers.
Some, like Jackie Appiah, had even been nominated in leading categories. “This was a total embarrassment,” Sarfo lamented, describing how they had to inform other Ghanaian attendees en route to the airport to turn back to avoid the same fate.
The actress further expressed frustration at what she perceives as unequal treatment between Ghanaians and Nigerians in the entertainment industry, noting that Nigerians invited to Ghana often receive top-tier hospitality.
She also highlighted the personal toll the ordeal took on her, as she missed multiple important commitments, including a movie set, a feature film by a colleague, an awards night, and her movie premiere.
Gloria’s critique highlights longstanding concerns over fair treatment and respect in regional collaborations within the African film industry.
Meanwhile, AMAA organisers are yet to make a public statement about the incident.