Insufficient funding hinders Ghanaian film representation on Netflix - Akofa Edjeani
Akofa Edjeani
Renowned Ghanaian actress, Akofa Edjeani, has voiced her concerns regarding the detrimental effects of inadequate funding on the production and representation of Ghanaian films on the global streaming platform Netflix.
Read full articleDuring an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, Akofa shed light on the challenges filmmakers encounter in securing sufficient financial support for their projects.
She highlighted how this lack of funding contributes to a noticeable disparity in both the quantity and quality of Ghanaian content available on Netflix. Akofa attributed the decline in the presence of Ghanaian movies on Netflix to the industry's funding woes.
Her remarks follow comments made by film producer Umar Krupp, who suggested a complete overhaul of the Ghanaian movie industry due to its perceived stagnancy and irrelevance. Krupp advocated for a five-year restructuring period to invigorate the industry and stimulate economic growth.
Contrary to Krupp's stance, Akofa Edjeani expressed optimism about revitalizing the dormant film industry through adequate funding support.
"Funding is such a problem here for us. I have scripts lying there, I know other people who have good scripts but there is no source of funding. So there has to be a way to source for funds and investors interested in investing in the sector, if that happens, we will do more because the few films we produce are good," she stated.
She further explained the disparity in film production between Ghana and other countries, highlighting the significant impact of funding availability. Edjeani noted that while Ghana may have fewer films making it to platforms like Netflix, the quality of those productions remains high.
"The lack of funding has been a persistent issue for the Ghanaian film industry," emphasized Edjeani.
She stressed that without adequate financial backing, filmmakers struggle to meet the stringent production standards and global appeal required by platforms like Netflix. As a result, Ghanaian stories and talents face limited visibility on the international stage.
