Idris Elba to Headline Ghana’s Second Annual Africa Cinema Summit in Accra

Idris Elba, Golden Globe winner and chairman of IE7 and The Akuna Group, will headline the National Film Authority of Ghana’s second annual Africa Cinema Summit, taking place from October 7 to 10 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra. The summit, which highlights the significance of cinema in African communities, will also feature Fiona Lamptey, co-founder of Juno Studios and former Netflix executive, alongside Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer.

The summit will gather representatives from across Africa, including Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Angola. Key figures from investment bodies like Afreximbank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will also attend, adding a crucial financial perspective to the discussions.

Themed “The Relevance of Cinema in African Communities,” this year’s summit will focus on the rising wave of local content production and consumption. Speakers will explore strategies for driving cinema investment and rethinking the cinema experience for Africa’s underserved lower-income communities. Elba expressed his excitement about the event, emphasising Africa’s rich storytelling tradition:

Africa has been at the forefront of communication and storytelling for centuries, but sadly, this innovation and the complex stories originating on the continent have been largely unnoticed. So, I am thrilled to be part of this year’s Africa Cinema Summit, where the focus will be on how Africans, on the continent and in the diaspora, can propel the cinema and content ecosystem to new heights and bring global awareness to our rich, dynamic, youthful, and vibrant Africa, Elba stated.

Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority of Ghana, underscored the importance of collaboration to boost local content and expand Africa’s cinema market:

The only way to grow local content and increase the cinema offerings on the African continent is to work together. The sector remains resilient, with local content stepping up in countries like Nigeria to fill content gaps. The continent holds the largest potential market growth for cinema, and our work is to make that potential a reality that benefits African communities.

Speaker Lineup

The summit will feature an esteemed lineup of industry leaders, including:

• King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II – King of the Ga Traditional Area in southern Ghana.

• Hon. Sandrine Umutoni – Minister of State for Youth and Arts of Rwanda.

• H.E. Dr. Onyekachi Macaulay O. Kalu – Chairman, African Union Sixth Region.

• Moses Babatope – Founder and CEO, Nile Media Entertainment Group.

• Funmi Onuma – Country Manager, Silverbird Cinemas, Ghana.

• H.E. Prof. Hugh K. Aryee – Vanuatu’s Trade Commissioner to Ghana.

• Kunle Afolayan – Renowned Nigerian film producer and director.

• Ope Ajayi – CEO of CINEMAX and President of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria.

• Patrick Lee – Head of Operations, Viva Cinemas, Nigeria.

• Akaninyene Macauley – Executive Director, Sky Film Distribution.

• Omoni Oboli – Nigerian actress, scriptwriter, director, and producer.

• Joy Efe Odiete – CEO, Blue Pictures Entertainment.

• Aminata Diop-Johnson – The African Pavilion.

The summit is being organised by Tim Yaw Struthers, Moses Babatope, and Funmi Onuma in partnership with Nile Media Entertainment Group and Silverbird Cinemas. Last year’s event, which featured representatives from 20 African countries, sparked key developments for the regional industry. One significant outcome was Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo’s commitment to implementing a film tax incentive for the country’s film industry, leading to the approval of a 20% tax rebate just months later.

This year’s event promises to build on those gains, pushing African cinema into the global spotlight.

READ MORE: Idris Elba To Lead In TV Series Adaptation Of ‘Things Fall Apart’

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