CULTURAL NEWS
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Ghana@50 Film Festival
By: ISSAC M. QUIST
Among the many festivals and events planned for the country’s Golden Jubilee Independence celebration include a film festival dubbed Ghana @ 50 Film Festival to be held at Afrikiko Gardens at Kanda in Accra between March 4 to 8, 2007 during the jubilee week.
The festival, the baby of Access Media, has the concept “celebrating movie making in Ghana”.
According to Miss Mabel Germaine, the CEO of Access Media, film recounts the social history of a nation as well as portrays the culture of the people.
It will be just nice for Ghana to see its past in pictures. Film is also an instrument for change and cultural development so we shall also see how our traditions and beliefs have worked for or against us in our forward march to the land of progress.
International participation is encouraged alongside local productions. It’s only one world especially as shown by the cross-currents between Ghana and Nigeria in films.
Media institutions and related industries such as marketers of film gear and film processing materials are also encouraged to participate in order to socialize, familiarize and create awareness on their products among film makers and the public.
Seminars and workshops will be held during the festival in order to improve film literacy which is very low in Ghana and Africa.
A film lover needs to understand why he loves a particular film just as a producer needs to fulfill the demands and tastes of its audience.
Film producers will be free to sell the best of their past productions or CDs and also time will be provided on the time table for each producer to exhibit some of his classics.
Film is not only a medium for entertainment. Taken seriously, it can be used to spread information as well as educate the people to affirm the right cultural traits and to act in concert, something necessary for development and unity.
Further information on the festival can be obtained from the secretariat of Access Media on the first floor of Kapital Building, opposite Apollo Theatre near the overhead bridge of the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Accra.
*Source
THE SPECTATOR - Saturday, January 20, 2007 Page: 17 |