Juliet Ibrahim joins Nollywood, South African actors at ‘Roundtable’ event
Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim joined Nollywood and South African actors at this year’s “RoundTable” event aimed at bringing relevant stakeholders in the African film industry to deliberate on the way forward for the sector.
This year’s hosted by the Actors Guild of Nigeria in collaboration with South African Guild of Actors was held at the Mercure Hotel, in Johannesburg, South Africa was themed, “Collecting Bargaining and Royalties in the Continent of Africa”,.
Other panelists were Dr Ejezie Rollas, President of Actors Guild of Nigeria; Dorothey Kingston, President of Malawi Film Association; Jack Devnarain, National Chairman, South African Guild of Actors and Uchechi Treasure Okonkwo, Nollywood teen actress.
The event was moderated by Hunagni Ndlovu and Nollywood actress, Beverly Osu.
Juliet, who was recently appointed the first President of Women in Film and Television Ghana (WIFT Ghana) described the Roundtable event as a significant milestone for Africa's film and entertainment industry.
According to her, the event has empowered African actors by equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge to demand fair compensation for their work.
Moreover, it has laid the groundwork for a more robust and unified industry that can compete effectively on the global stage.
“We are giving African actors the tools and knowledge to demand what they’re worth, while laying the foundation for a stronger, more united industry that can stand tall on the global stage.
“As someone who has worked across Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and beyond, I truly believe more collaborations are coming. We’re seeing the power of coming together to tell African stories as one voice,” she said.
A key takeaway from the discussions was the importance of unity among actors. Despite past challenges in industries like Nollywood and Ghana's film sector, professionals are now recognising the value of standing together to advocate for fair pay, safe working conditions, and professional recognition.
The discussions also highlighted the need for actor classification systems, which would provide clear frameworks for defining experience levels and ensuring fair salaries.
To implement this, each country's actors' guild or union will develop transparent criteria based on factors like training, experience, awards, and professional achievements.
This structure aims to bring fairness and clarity to actor compensation and career advancement.
