Joselyn Dumas
Ghanaian actress and producer, Joselyn Dumas, has called on investors to step in and fund the local film industry, saying lack of capital is the biggest challenge holding Ghanaian creatives back.
Speaking at the Creative Economy Summit at the Google AI Community Center yesterday, Joselyn Dumas said Ghana has the stories, talent, discipline and ecosystem to compete globally, but the industry has “stalled a little bit” due to funding gaps.
“We have the stories. We have the talent. We have the discipline. We have the ecosystem that works very well with all the creatives in Ghana. But funding has made the movie industry stall a little bit at this point,” she revealed.
Joselyn Dumas revealed that many filmmakers have resorted to self-funding because bank loans are too expensive. “We were self-funding, and some banks were also interested in giving loans. But the return on interest from the banks is not the same. It’s quite high. It’s 40%. Yeah. It’s exorbitant. So a lot of us couldn’t afford to go to the banks for funding, so we started relying on each other,” she stated.
Joselyn Dumas argued that investors should look beyond immediate financial returns and consider the cultural impact of film. “People don’t see the benefit. Even if it’s not return on investment, return on impact. A lot of stories are told. In order for us to also let the rest of the world see who we really are as people, it’s film. So we’re asking investors, come in and invest in the industry, and let’s tell the story for you.”
She noted that beyond TV and cinemas in Ghana, Ghanaian filmmakers lack access to global streaming platforms. “I want my work to be seen everywhere in the world, but it’s almost impossible from where I am as a Ghanaian producer and an actor. So if there are any investors here, I’m calling on you. We are ready, we have products. We just need to create an ecosystem that makes it very easy for us to thrive as creatives,” she added.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke