Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has advocated for increased professionalism, long-term investment, and strategic positioning of African storylines as the continent’s film industry strives to compete globally.
Speaking at the inaugural Regal Film Festival and Awards (REFFA) 2025 in Accra, the Vice President remarked that African stories must be told with “purpose and excellence” in order to connect with international audiences while keeping cultural uniqueness.
REFFA’s inaugural edition brought together filmmakers, actors, producers, and creatives from around the continent to celebrate African cinematic brilliance and explore regional and worldwide market access opportunities.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang urged aspiring filmmakers and actors to focus depth and quality over mere visibility, pointing out that professionalism is required for African cinema to compete effectively in global markets.
“Our stories are rich, authentic, and powerful. But they must be told with the excellence they deserve if we are to claim our rightful place in the global film industry,” she stated.
The Vice President praised REFFA for developing a platform that not only honours talent but also promotes market access, highlighting that this is a major concern for many African filmmakers who struggle to distribute their work beyond local audiences.
The Vice President urged investors, development partners, and industry players to adopt a long-term perspective on film industry investment, highlighting the economic aspects of the creative sector.
She pointed out that the film business in Africa has enormous potential to create jobs, bolster cultural diplomacy, and significantly boost GDP growth in Ghana and other nations, especially as audiences around the world want for more varied and genuine stories.
Ghana’s film industry, known as “Ghallywood,” continues to list restricted distribution networks, insufficient funding, and infrastructure deficiencies as significant obstacles.
The Vice President was upbeat about REFFA’s ability to develop up-and-coming talent and promote African narratives globally. She called the festival a “significant milestone” for Ghana’s creative arts industry and congratulated all participants and award recipients.
In order to link African creatives with global industry players, the festival included film screenings, masterclasses, panel talks on film finance and distribution, and networking events.
With submissions from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Senegal, among other countries, REFFA 2025 recognised films in a number of categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
Source: newsthemegh.com