Ghanaian film industry stakeholders to demonstrate against Telenovelas

Stakeholders in the local movie and television industry are set to demonstrate against the many telenovelas that are aired daily on the local television channels.

The front runners of the demonstration, the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), have filed a petition to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

FIPAG is seeking the Asantehene's permission and support for their planned demonstration which is slate for August 31 in Kumasi.

According to FIPAG, these Spanish and Hindi soap operas that are translated to Twi for the local audience is negatively affecting their film industry in Ghana. They said the influx of these foreign soaps takes business away from the film industry, as they have captured the interest of the audience and has left no room for the local movies to be patronised.

“Since their programs are interpreted into Twi and other local languages, they have served as a perfect replacement to the Ghanaian local movies within the movie market. Gone are the days when you can see an old “uneducated” person of Ghana watching foreign movies notwithstanding the degree of comic in them.

However, it’s not so presently, since anybody at all (kids, young, adult and oldies) can give you a brief summary of all the telenovela programs they have watched over the years.

They are using to power of our indigenous languages to sell their culture and intellectual properties to our nation as we look unconcerned whiles our own local movie industry that has entertained the entire country for some years back are being left to go down the drain,” FIPAG stated in its petition.