Film conference ends in Accra

Participants in this year’s Mini-INPUT film conference  in Accra have urged the organisers to ensure it is held regularly  to  benefit  students of film, television and audio visual communication in this country.

This year, the Goethe-Institut in Accra sponsored 10 students from various parts of the country in a bid to ensure adequate access to the Mini-INPUT conference by students who live outside the city and are willing to be part of the annual programme.

Over 20 students from the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) in Accra  also  took part in the conference which screened over two dozen films on a variety of topics from around the world.

Some of the films  screened were “Angela Merkel - The Unexpected” (Germany), “Next Stop: Utopia” (Greece), “ Infatilio” (The Netherlands), “Petra Dates the World” (Denmark), “The Pangti Story” (India), “Frame” (Canada), “Vanished” (Israel), “Stray Bullet” (Chile), “Tung Pui Sun and Me” (Hong Kong), “The Return” (USA) and “Frame 394” (Canada).

INPUT  festivals and conferences, which bring together public television programme makers and broadcasters,  aim at promoting the role of public service television as a driving force for change in society.

The Accra conference was moderated by  American writer / filmmaker William Gilcher alongside Ghanaian experts, Fara Awindor (INPUT National Co-ordinator) and Aseye Tamakloe (Lecturer / Filmmaker).

Through discussions after each screening, participants were taken through the important topic of the  responsibility of a filmmaker towards his subject, audience and himself.

Discussions also touched on how to select  subjects for  production and how filmmakers could effectively  interact with audience to ensure mutual  trust and development.

The conference, which was opened by the acting Dean of Studies at NAFTI, Ramatu Mustapha Dadzie,  was preceded by a two-day workshop which, among other things examined  pitfalls and opportunities for the creation of  effective programmes.

The National Film and Television Institute, INPUT and  Goethe-Institut Ghana organised and supported the conference.