David Dontoh Emphasizes the Significance of the Africa Cinema Summit for Film Stakeholders

Renowned Ghanaian actor, David Dontoh, has emphasized the crucial role of the Africa Cinema Summit in revitalizing Africa’s theater culture and film sector.

He expressed sorrow over the dwindling number of cinema theaters across Ghana, recalling a time when vibrant cinema hubs like Bikona in Tamale and Tasu in Buu flourished, nurturing a vibrant cinema culture that has since faded away.

“The cinema theatre culture used to be quite vibrant some years back, but it’s a bit weakened now. And it’s all because we don’t have the cinema theatres as an edifice there,” Dontoh remarked.

Dontoh views the Africa Cinema Summit as a beacon of hope. He is hopeful that the summit will not only revive cinema culture in Ghana but also unite the entire continent under a common cinematic heritage.

“We need to have what we call a film sector so that we can share the diversity of African cultures all over the continent,” he asserted.

Dontoh’s vision transcends national boundaries, as he advocates for regional and pan-African film festivals to exhibit the continent’s diverse folklore and cultural narratives. He envisions a vibrant film industry that showcases African stories and cultivates a renewed sense of identity and pride among its people.

“The African Cinema Summit is very important for every film stakeholder on this continent. Such that you cannot think of developing when you forego the opportunities that the African Cinema Summit provides,” Dontoh stated.

He also suggested the creation of a Pan-African Film Festival, bringing together regions from the Maghreb to Southern Africa in a grand celebration of African cinema.

The upcoming Africa Cinema Summit is scheduled to take place at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra from October 7 to 10 this year.