Movie Premiere Turns Into 'Fund Raising'

The executive premiere of a new movie “Silence Is Golden” produced by Ghanaian actress Luckie Lawson, was turned into a fund raising service at “Villa Garden” celebrity restaurant owned by the actress, at Asylum Down in Accra, on Saturday July 31, 2010.

The premiere which was strictly by invitation was attended by Bank executives, C.E.O’s, politicians, celebrities, sponsors and the media. It was supposed to start at 5pm but it actually started after 7pm.

The beauty of a well attended and glamorous premiere, was almost taken away when the second part of the movie was paused, to acknowledge the cast and crew of the movie. Though Nollywood stars Ramsey Noah and Chika Ike who played major roles in the movie was not present, the entire Ghanaian cast including Martha Ankomah, Luckie, Fred Nuamah and others were there to grace the night.

After the acknowledgement, a large-sized portrait of the producer who acted in the movie Luckie Lawson, was put on sale for the highest bidder to unveil it to the crowd and take it home. Like a church harvest fund-raising service,( MCs, DJ. Adviser of Choice FM and Amanda Jesse) with an usher, went from chair to chair to take money as people kept adding up to the amount mentioned.

The bidding started with invited guests, and ended with celebrities, as actress Yvonne Nelson, Yvonne Okoro, Juliet Ibrahim, and Prince David Osei on one side, Producer Abdul Sallam of Venus Films, Fred Nuamah and director Frank Raja on the other side trying to outwit the other as the highest bidder.

This went on for over 30 minutes whiles the executives and everybody present were waiting to watch the second part of the movie. Abdul Sallam, Fred Nuamah and Frank Raja together, ended up as the highest bidders with an amount of GH¢ 1,100 (Eleven million old Ghana cedis) and they unveiled the nice portrait for pictures and eventually took it home.

This dragged the already late programme deep into night. Other stars present were: Robert Kuvorji (Daavi), Vivian Archor, Ekow Smith Asante, Emmanuel Armah among others. Rana, Keche and D. Flex also performed on the night.