NAFTI Organises Stakeholders Forum On Film Bill

The National Film and Television Institute on Thursday organized the 2013-2014 Film Lectures and Industry Stakeholders Forum. The lecture is aimed at celebrating renowned Ghanaian Film makers and also providing both an academic and professional forum to reflect on developments in the Ghanaian film industry. The theme for this year�s lecture is �The Film Bill: Putting the Industry Back Together.� Professor Abraham Linus, Rector of NAFTI, said the forum was to discuss how the creativity of the industry could be enhanced and also the available opportunities on how industry players could access credit to move the film production forward. He said it was also to discuss how to train highly film professionals to man the film industry and give the industry a bright future. Mr Akunu Dake, Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Development Organization, said Ghana�s Film Bill had been in existence for about 25 years now which had not yet been concluded. He said part of the bill called for the establishment of four major regulatory bodies, which include the establishment of a National Film Authority, Registration and Licensing of Premises, establishment of a Film Development Fund and the provision of a regulatory body responsible for supporting industry players in getting access to credit. Mr Dake said the bill is also to instill national pride and confidence and address the inappropriate infrastructure deficit in the film industry to promote tourism which contributes largely to Ghana�s development. �The film industry creates a lot of employment also lift up Ghana�s image at the international level.� Madam Dzifa Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Art, said the ministry was working to put in structures to make the film industry in Ghana advance and appealed to the industry players to support the ministry. She said the industry must be looked at from a different direction and not only as entertainment but as a source of generating income for national development. Madam Gomashie said the film industry creates a lot of employment and must be recognized as one of the major contributors to the country�s economic growth and national development.