Private Sector Must Invest More in Film Industry

Renowned Nigerian Career Actor, Mr. Charles Okafor, has charged private business entrepreneurs in the country to invest more in the film industry.

He said everywhere in the world, the growth and development of the entertainment industry, has been engineered by the private sector, with governments only providing the enabling environments.

Mr. Charles Izu Okafor, who is also a film producer and director, said this at a news conference in Accra to brief journalists about his new film "Called By The Fire". He observed that while a large number of the Ghanaian populace seem to patronise Nigerian movies; the same story cannot be said with respect to Ghanaian movies.

This development, according to him, unfolded in his several visits to Ghana. He contended that the attitude of Ghanaians to the home movie industry is one of ridicule and scathing repudiation.

These, the Nigerian producer and director stressed, are unfair, unjustifiable, and uncharitable and do not augur well for the development of the industry in the country.

He stated emphatically that it would be unfair and unjustifiable for the business community to make a criticism of the local film content in the country if they are reluctant to invest the requisite capital for film production.

Mr. Okafor said that the national economy stands to benefit hugely if the private sector is actively involved in the growth of the entertainment industry.

This, he explained is largely true "in the sense that it deepens foreign earnings by it's global acceptance and consumption". He said for instance, that the entertainment industry in the U S Of A accounts for over forty per cent of the income generated internally.

This notwithstanding, he noted, "the quintessential purveyors are the private business concerns".

The Nigerian career actor gave the assurance that they will continue to extend the hands of friendship and fellowship to their Ghanaian colleagues through the already existing cross-border film making arrangement.

The primary objective, he explained, "is to fashion out a synergy for the growth of the development of our two films".

Further, he said that by this mutuality through film production, the two countries would have contributed positively to the ideals of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Briefing the press about his new film "Called by the fire"; Mr. Okafor disclosed that the story in the movie is simple. According to him, there are three levels of the human character at play, namely the experiential, the adventurous, and the survivalist.

He noted that the movie does not seek to entertain, but will more importantly inspire a deeper concern for the level of degeneracy and pain in our societies.

Against this background, he urged all Ghanaians from all stratum of the society to fully participate and share the joy of the yuletide at the premiere of the movie on December 14.