CEO of Venus Films Productions, Abdul Salam Mumuni
AWARD-WINNING filmmaker and CEO of Venus Films Productions, Abdul Salam Mumuni, has blamed the collapse of Ghana’s once-vibrant cinema culture on the poor quality of movies screened in theatres.
He believes that without quality control and stronger distribution systems, the industry risks losing the very audiences it seeks to win back.
At the maiden edition of the National Film Dialogue organised by the National Film Authority (NFA) at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, Legon on Tuesday, September 16, Mumuni remembers when Ghanaian films could fill multiple cinema halls. Today, however, dwindling quality has left audiences disenchanted.
Mumuni cited Silverbird Cinemas as an example, recalling how a single premiere could once fill up to nine halls—something almost unthinkable today.
“In the past, not every movie made it to the public. There was control, and producers respected industry standards. But now, anyone can wake up, shoot a film and send it straight to cinemas. Viewers became disappointed with what they saw, and gradually, they stopped coming.”
“Initially, when the films started going to the cinemas, people started watching, but they were not happy with the content so they stopped. Gradually, it became hard to control movies sent to the cinemas and the poor content started driving the audience away,” he explained.
The producer noted that Ghana’s film industry once thrived on strong distribution networks, particularly during the era of CDs. At its peak, a movie could sell over a million copies across the country.
“Back in the day, selling 100,000 CDs was just the beginning. Accra alone could take 50,000 copies, Kumasi 20,000, and other places such as Tamale, Takoradi, Koforidua, Ho would all get their share. Every region had a distributor, making it easy to sell in large numbers,” he recalled.
But the shift to digitisation, while modernising the industry, has also narrowed distribution. Today, most films are concentrated in Accra and Kumasi cinemas, leaving large sections of the population cut off because there are no venues to show them.
“How do we reach the rest of the country if cinemas are in only two cities?” Mumuni asked.
Prior to the dialogue, the NFA’s new governing board unveiled its ambitious plan to revive the industry by transforming film distribution into a vibrant, accessible, and profitable ecosystem.
Board Chairperson Ivan Quashigah outlined a vision to engage at least one per cent of Ghana’s population.
“The target is to engage at least one per cent of Ghana’s population (350,000 people) to watch at least 10 good Ghanaian movies each year,” he said.
The goal, he explained, is not only to strengthen cinema culture but also to inspire cultural pride and boost the economy.
Mumuni, however, cautioned that production alone would not solve the industry’s problems. What the sector desperately needs, he stressed, is investment in distribution and infrastructure.
“This is where we need both government and private individuals to invest. We, however, don’t need government loans to shoot films. Without proper markets, you can’t recoup the money.
“What we need is more cinemas across the regions and strong promotion. Entertainment will never die, but it needs the right systems to thrive,” he said.
