The three-day Africa Cinema Summit (ACS) 2024, held between October 07-10 in Accra-Ghana, concluded successfully, bringing together filmmakers, industry leaders, and cultural advocates to explore the possibilities of cinema shaping the African narrative and promoting social change.
Held at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, and tagged “The Relevance of Cinema in African Communities”, the Summit showcased the transformative potential of African cinema.
Some of the key highlights of the event were presentations by industry heavyweights – such as Kene Mkparu (President, Komworld), and actor Idris Elba – of their visions for the future of African cinema.
Mkparu announced his continued plans to build Africa’s largest cinema complex, while Elba urged filmmakers to stay true to their roots in telling authentic African stories.
Said Kene:
Many thanks to Ghana’s National Film Authority, Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante and the government of Ghana for understanding that spreading cinema infrastructure across Africa is the catalyst for Africa-wide film industry commercial growth.
I’m pleased to have contributed, as President of KOMWORLD Cinemas, to teaching THE BUSINESS OF CINEMA and on FINANCING FILM VALUE CHAIN.
Speaking at the summit, Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante (CEO, National Film Authority of Ghana) advocated for reviving cinema in African communities, pointing out that 90 per cent of Africans have never experienced a film on the big screen and encouraged industry leaders to engage the youth in creating content across multiple platforms, including film and gaming.
The occasion also featured a fireside chat with Nigerian actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli, who while sharing insights into her journey in African cinema, stressed the irreplaceable emotional experience of watching films in theatres, and emphasised how cinema helped preserve African storytelling traditions.
A notable moment at the event was the premiere of The Uprising – Wives on Strike 3, a film that used humor to address pressing social issues.