Ga Mantse to be Guest of Honour at this year’s Africa Cinema Summit in October

King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse will be the Guest of Honour at this year’s Africa Cinema Summit (ACS) to take place from Monday, October 7-10 2024 at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra.

The King agreed to the formal request when a delegation from National Film Authority(NFA) led by its Chief Executive Officer, Juliet Asante paid a courtesy call at his residence to officially inform him of the upcoming event as the overlord of Ga  State and President of the Ga Traditional Council at his residence on Thursday, September 5.

In a presentation, Gyasiwaa Ansah, Head of Production at National Film Authority (NFA), who was the team’s spokesperson gave an overview of the aim of the Africa Cinema Summit whose maiden event was held last year.

During her narration of how things had run from last year till now, Madam Ansah used the opportunity to apologise to Ga Mantse for what she said was an “unpardonable oversight” for not throwing an official invite to him as the “owner of the land” on which the event happened.

As such, to correct the mistake and to seek mercy and pardon from His Royal Majesty, the Authority has corrected their wrong and to do the proper.

It was a moment of great significance as Madam Gyasiwaa presented the team's request to King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, with the Ga Mantse nodding his head in approval and offering a warm smile, indicating that all was forgiven. 

With the air cleared, Madam Gyasiwaa formally invited the King to be the Guest of Honour at this year's African Cinema Summit. 

The King accepted the invitation with enthusiasm, recognizing the platform as an opportunity to share his insights and experiences as a seasoned creative. 

He expressed his eagerness to address key issues impacting the film industry and the broader creative sector, leveraging his years of expertise to drive progress and growth.

 “I’m very honoured and I want you to know that I have accepted to be the Guest of Honour. This will offer me the opportunity to speak about some relevant issues.

“When Ghana started, Nigeria was nowhere but the story is different. We have failed to tell our own stories and telling the stories of others which shouldn’t be the case.

“We have many rich stories to tell and I’m happy to have this platform to address some of these issues,” he said. \

The Ga Mantse showered praise on Juliet Asante and filmmaker, Shirley Manso, lauding their tireless efforts in the film industry. 

“You are great women who have kept the fire of this industry alive,” he said.

In a gracious response, Ms. Asante expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Ga Mantse, not only for his kind words but also for warmly receiving the NFA team and accepting their invitation to be the Guest of Honour.

Daniel Amoateng, Head of Film Classification was also present at the meeting. 

   Africa Cinema Summit

This year’s ACS was launched in June on the theme, “Is Cinema Relevant in African Communities?” (Relaed article: Africa Cinema Summit is here again)

The theme resonates deeply on a continent where film has the potential to shape cultural narratives, preserve history, and inspire future generations.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition, which brought together filmmakers from 20 African nations to Ghana for insightful discussions on advancing cinema on the continent, the second edition of the summit aims to solidify the gains made in the African film industry. 

This year's event seeks to promote synergy, creativity, and sustainable development, with a focus on enhancing the quality of local content production and consumption, thereby making a compelling case for increased investment in cinema.

 The 2024 summit promises to be a pivotal moment for the African cinema industry, driving growth and innovation in the sector.