Ghana's film industry has a problem that goes beyond making good movies: getting them in front of audiences and turning them into revenue.
For years, filmmakers have invested time, money and creativity into telling Ghanaian stories, only to see many of them struggle to find a screen. Cinemas are few, especially outside the big cities and that has kept the cinema experience out of reach for many Ghanaians.
So, the National Film Authority's (NFA) Cinema Train Initiative is a welcome move. It aims to rebuild the habit of going to the cinema, widen film exhibition and bring producers, distributors, exhibitors and audiences together. For an industry that badly needs steady commercial opportunities, the timing is right.
The initiative's website, www.cinematrain.com, allows audiences to find screenings and buy tickets. But convenient ticketing can't be the whole point. The real test is how many more Ghanaian films reach audiences, how many screening opportunities open up and how much money filmmakers actually make.
The NFA's plan to work with the National Commission on Culture on using community centres and other suitable spaces as venues is encouraging. Cinema shouldn't be a luxury mostly enjoyed by people in Accra and a handful of other cities.
Nevertheless, access alone won't make it work, though. Ticket prices, the quality of venues, how regularly films are screened and whether the films are worth showing will all shape who turns up. (Related article: NFA launches Cinema Train to boost Ghanaian film industry)
The authority will also need private investment, corporate sponsorship and partnerships with existing cinema operators to keep the project afloat. Equally important are transparent revenue-sharing terms, so producers and others in the industry get a fair return.
The NFA has made a good start, but a launch is only the first step. It now has to show it can sustain the initiative, extend its reach and earn the trust of industry players. Filmmakers have their part to play too. They produce stories compelling enough that people will pay to see them.
In the end, Ghana needs more than films; it needs a functioning film business where creativity is rewarded, investments are recovered and audiences have regular opportunities to enjoy local productions.
Cinema Train has to outlast the excitement of its launch and become the vehicle that carries Ghanaian cinema into a sustainable future.
