Filmmaker Shirley Frimpong Manso says the current local movie industry still has the potential to thrive, if needed investment and efforts are put into its creation and promotion.
According to her, the local industry has what it takes to excel but the lack of investors and support is retarding its progress.
In a recent media interview, Shirley argued that the industry was afloat and not dead.
“I don’t want to hear that it’s dead, because it’s not. People call it dead because the progress we expected over the years hasn’t happened. But that doesn’t mean there’s no potential,” she said.
Shirley expressed the need for cautious investment to be made in infrastructure development just like their counterparts, the Nigerians.
“Nigerians made a decision to invest in film as an art form that creates jobs, drives business, and makes an impact. They made funding available, built cinemas, and expanded them. That’s why they’re doing better than us,” she said.
Addressing some of the other setbacks, Shirley noted that the country did not place importance on the creative art sector and urged the government to change such narratives.
“We are good storytellers. We have great actors. What’s missing is that we don’t place enough importance on film and the creative arts. That’s where our problem lies,” she stated.
Shirley therefore called for investors and the government to invest in the creative sector as the industry had the means to alleviate poverty and to create jobs.
