The National Film Authority of Ghana has announced the lineup for its inaugural Africa Cinema Summit slated to hold between November 14 and 16 in Accra.
Hosted in partnership with Nigeria’s Filmhouse Group and Ghana’s Silverbird Cinema, the summit is set to take place at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel and Silverbird Cinema.
Highlights of the event will include a showcase of contemporary African films alongside industry-focused sessions such as tailored business matchmaking events, panel discussions, keynote speeches by African industry leaders, and dedicated networking sessions for visitors.
According to the organisers, the summit will be one of the first continent-wide gatherings dedicated to cinema. It will focus on current trends, unique challenges, and opportunities inherent to African cinema and other distribution networks.
“There are critical issues in the African cinema landscape that need to be properly discussed,” Asante said. “We are excited to have such an outstanding lineup of speakers for the Africa Cinema Summit. The summit is result-oriented, and the crucial indicator for success is an increase in screen numbers as many Ghanaians and Africans, by extension, demand the cinema-going experience.”
Speakers expected to be in attendance in Accra include John Michael Schreiner, senior vice president of theatre development, Imax Corp, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He will be joined by Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority of Ghana, and convener of the summit. Asante was previously board chair of the National Film and Television Institute of Ghana and the founding president of the Black Star International Film Institute, organizers of the Black Star International Film Festival. Moses Babatope, co-founder and deputy managing director of the Filmhouse Group, and Funmi Onuma, country manager of Silverbird Cinema, Ghana, will also be in attendance.
Other notable speakers include Ope Ajayi, distributor at Cinemax and president of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria; Rob Arthur, co-founder and director of Entertainment Solution Services Ltd and Paguro Ideas Ltd (formerly Digital Cinema Solutions Ltd); Marie Lora-Mungai, investor, strategic advisor, and entrepreneur specializing in the African creative industries and sports business; and Chief Alhassan Andani, founder and executive chairman of LVSafrica Limited.
