Ghanaian actor, Eddie Nartey seems to be unhappy about the renaming of the Ghana Film Authority (GFA) as ‘Black Star Films’ as he has described it as a “shameful” move.
According to the Ghanaian actor, there are more pressing issues in the industry to be addressed rather than rebranding the sector.
“With all the problems we have confronting the movie industry, is changing the name the most important? Posterity won’t forgive us if we sit idle and watch this mistake happen. So you all that sat in as committee members didn’t know about black star film festival? What?”
Eddie Nartey
Eddie Nartey, further speaking on the issue, noted that investors should be brought in to support local filmmakers and help build the cinemas that will make it more appealing to sell Ghanaian films.
“Bring on investors that will support local filmmakers and help build cinemas so that we will be able to showcase our films to Ghanaians nationwide not only Silverbird. Let’s learn from the Nigerians. Changing its name will not be of benefit to any filmmaker.
“We have real problems. You make a film, do 1-month publicity and you can only screen it at Silverbird Accra. You have to rent hotels in other regions before you can screen it there. In fact, you have to do whole new publicity for that”.
Eddie Nartey
In a social media post, he concluded that “let’s not turn a blind eye to the core problems”.
George Quaye and Others Petition to Scrap ‘Black Star Films’
Several industry players have lamented the renaming of the authority and some are petitioning to scrap off the name entirely. Actor and show host, George Quaye led a group of stakeholders to petition the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to scrap the new name for Ghana’s movie industry- Black Stars Films.
According to the petition, the ‘Black Star Films’ bears a striking similarity to the awards and film festival, ‘Black Star International Film Festival’ (BSIFF) founded by the National Film Authority’s Executive Secretary, Juliet Asante.
The group wrote that “re-naming the Ghanaian Film Industry after the BSIFF creates a Conflict of Interest and ethically questionable situation.
“This is wrong and must be condemned by all well-meaning Industry players with all the contempt it deserves”.
George Quaye
George Quaye in the petition, stated that the industry does not need any renaming because it has always been recognized legally as the Ghana Film Industry and well captured in all existing documents. The industry, he emphasized, “DOES NOT need to be altered”.
The Ghana Film Authority (GFA) was renamed as ‘Black Star Films’ by the National Film Authority (NFA) in a recent roundtable meeting.
The new identity bestowed on Ghana’s film industry, according to Madam Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante, Chief Executive Officer of NFA is to foster unity and give the industry a renewed energy to help its growth.
“The Ghana Film Industry has over the years had affectionate titles bestowed on it by people who love the attributes of the sector and understand the role that a good brand can have on Ghana and indeed the African continent”.
Madam Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante
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