Film federation to hit streets over film bill

The Film Federation of Ghana (FFG) has threatened to embark on a demonstration against the government on Wednesday, July 22, should the contents of the proposed Film Bill before Parliament remain in its current state.

The interim secretary general of the association, Mr Richard Boateng, said the Film Bill in its current state would frustrate and destroy the industry, which is already suffering under the effects of piracy.

He accused Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, of not consulting with the relevant associations during the formulation of the bill and denying access of some authentic associations to the Film Bill.

He said members of the association are made up of the Film Producers Association of Ghana, Film Directors Guild of Ghana, Ghana’s Actors Guild, Ghana Film Crew Association, Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Film Distributors and Marketers Association of Ghana.

“The minister should explain to us who the Women in Film and Television are because we don’t know them in this industry. The Minister should explain to us who are the Film Managers Association of Ghana; because the film industry across the world does not have anything called film managers. We want to know who are the Collective Management Organisation of Audio Rights Owners,” he queried.

Mr Boateng asked why although government does not provide financial aid to movie producers, the Film Bill requires them to receive licenses from government institutions before they can sell or market their products within the country

“The Film Bill does not care about the progress and success of the film industry in Ghana. It does not have provision for the infrastructural development of the film industry. The Film Bill makes it plain that government is not interested in supporting the developmental growth of the film industry, as one of the economic tools for the country,” he added.

Throwing light on the demonstration scheduled for Wednesday, Mr Boateng said members of the FFG would converge at the Obra Spot, Kwame Nkrumah Circle to march through some streets in Accra and present a petition to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Edward K. Doe Adjaho.

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