What is a Ghanaian movie?
The organisers of the annual Ghana Movie Awards on Friday, December 18, 2015 at the Silverbird Cinemas in Accra announced the nominees for this year’s edition in the presence of the media, some movie personalities, as well as directors and producers.
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Beasts of No Nation, an African war drama film, shot in Ghana and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba, Ama K. Abebrese, Abraham Attah, Grace Nortey, David Dontoh, and Opeyemi Fagbohungbe got the highest nominations with about 15 nods.
They include Actor In A Leading Role for Abraham Attah, Actor In A Supporting Role for Idris Eiba and Emmanuel Affadzi, Costume & Wardrobe for Jenny Eagan and Kayoa Afriyie Frimpong, Writing Adapted Or Original Screenplay for Uzodinma Iweala/Cary Fukunaga, Music Original Score for Dan Romer and Best Editing for Mikkel E. G. Nielsen,
The rest are Makeup And Hairstyling for Chris Burgoyne and Rita Parklo, Visual Effects for Kevin Bitters, Production Design for Tony Tomety and Miles Kristian, Cinematography for Cary Joji Fukunaga, Sound Editing And Mixing for Geoffrey Patterson, Directing for Cary Fukunago, Best Picture for Tony Tagoe and Danny Damah (Producers), Discovery Of The Year for Abraham Attah and Emmanuel Affadzi.
The nominations of the movie have brought a lot of criticism from some players of the Ghana movie fraternity who disagree with the jury of the awards claiming that, there is nothing Ghanaian about the movie, although it was shot in Ghana and featured some prominent Ghanaian actors.
So what is a Ghanaian movie? A layman’s definition of a Ghanaian movie will be a movie shot on the shores of Ghana with a Ghanaian cast and crew. That may be basic but what about if the movie was shot in Italy with a Ghanaian cast and crew; does that make such a movie non-Ghanaian just because it wasn’t filmed in Ghana?
This may appear very confusing but the argument that, Beasts of No Nation is not a Ghanaian movie may be bogus if there is a definition for what a Ghanaian movie is.
Before I commenced writing this piece, I searched online to find out if there is any standard definition of what makes, let’s say a Hollywood, Bollywood or a Nollywood movie. I came across a story about Biyi Bandele, a UK based Nigerian novelist, playwright and a filmmaker who directed Half of a Yellow Sun.
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In the story, he was quoted as saying that, the fact that he is a Nigerian and that makes him a Nigerian director, he doesn’t want to be known as a Nollywood director.
“Oh, I don’t mind being called a Nigerian director. What I don’t want is to be called a Nollywood director. I am not a Nollywood director. I am Nigerian and Nigerian stories are very important to me. But not every film that comes from Nigeria is a Nollywood movie, in the same way not every film that comes from India is a Bollywood movie,” he said.
Per the above, even if Shirley Frimpong Manso is contracted to direct a movie in Nigeria with Nigerian cast and crew, the fact that she’s a Ghanaian doesn’t mean the movie is a Ghanaian movie. It’s still a Nigerian movie.
But the founder and CEO of the awards argues that, a movie is qualified for the awards once the movie features a Ghanaian, be it an actor or a behind the scene professional.
It looks like the definition of what a Ghanaian movie is cannot be arrived at but below I reproduce views shared by actors, Eddie Nartey and Prince David Osei about whether the movie qualifies for nominations and if it’s a Ghanaian movie.
“I can’t help but express my opinion. Ghana Movie Awards has done it again just like many expected. I don’t even want to talk about how long I had to wait with several of my colleagues as well as the media before the nominees announcement got started. Now how come Beast of No Nation get 15 nominations? BEAST OF NO NATION?”
“This $ 6 million budget movie is now competing with the local movies? I thought it was GHANA MOVIE AWARDS, an event to honor filmmakers locally. Why don’t you put it in the African Movie of the year category since I consider it as an international movie? This is so unfair to the young ones who are on the field trying to make this industry stand with the little in them.”
“If you want to award Beast Of No Nation because it was shot here in Ghana then do it in a different way but don’t let it compete with Our local movies. It’s quite unfortunate that a couple of actors and actresses have worked so hard this year and are not appreciated with even nominations.”
“This Is Sad. I don’t blame the organisers that much but the very actors and actresses who will complain behind closed doors and be mute in the open about such issues. If you want a change, then be part of creating that change. It’s just a Shame,” wrote Eddie Nartey.
“Mr Frederick Nuamah firstly, we want to thank you for GMA, an award which is geared to honour film makers and practitioners in Ghana. Hence Ghana Movie Awards not European or Arabian or Ghana Netflix Awards.”
“Since the inception of these prestigious awards people have always doubted the credibility of this award; whether it's awards for friends and family of Frederick Nuamah or for Ghana Film industry?
Some of us have kept quiet because we thought it will get better over the years, for goodness sake!! This is the 6th edition and there's still no improvement.”
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“… have seen nomination list online with Beast of No Nation topping with 15 nominations. Let us reason here Mr CEO and your judges.
There's no disputing the fact that Beast of No Nation is a great movie by all standards even seen billboards all over Hollywood Boulevard promoting the movie.
It starred Ghanaian actors and was shot entirely in Ghana, with stupendous performances from Abraham the new kid making Ghana proud, Ama K, David Dontoh to mention but a few. Now to the issue at hand, Mr CEO how do u nominate a full Hollywood movie owned by Netflix for Ghana Movie Awards not even in international movie category but 15 nominations?”
“I remember very well when we attempted submitting the Hollywood low budget movie I did The Dead you and your team declined it in 2012 saying it's an international movie though shot in Africa.”
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“How do you encourage young industrious film makers fighting against all odds to make an industry since we don't have one if you nominate our local movies against Hollywood movies with a budget of 6millions dollars, how can they go wrong?”
“With 6millions dollars they’re resourceful, so obviously they will make a good film against us struggling to even have producers, actors have now turned producers!!!What a SHAME for our industry. To thyself be true and stop leaving in denial.”
So is the Beasts of No Nation, a Ghanaian movie, no. But does it qualify to be nominated, yes based on the explanation given by the founder. If you know the definition of a Ghanaian movie, please share.