RADIO REVIEW: Sad Reflection on Ghana Films as Shown on Bola Ray’s Program

On the evening program hosted by Bola Ray, he throws out the question for listeners to give their all time best Ghanaian film, the host admitted his own to be African Heritage (1989) and I Told You So (1970).  Listeners did call in whiles others text their response, the current minister for the creative arts text in.

In recent times many fine, high quality films had been made from Scorned, the Good Old Days; the Love of AA, King Appaw’s No Time to Die, from Sinking Sands to KSM’s Double. Yet many more and few of the listed here were not mentioned. And that was a sad reflection on Ghanaian films.

Films that were mentioned and text in, go way back into time. Here are some of the films; Sika Sumsum- some of the folks in this film are still around, A Stab in the Back- Starring Sam Adjetey aka T.T this film was when Pascaline Edwards was at prime in Ghanaian films.

Love Brew in an African Pot- Kwaw Ansah film, Sakina- if my memory serves me right, Kwame Sefa Kaye was in this film, Zinabu among the early films on witchcraft, Kukurantum: Road to Accra, the list continues.

The film that came as a shock to me was African Timber; this film was shot in the mid 1980s by one of the Hollywood studios on the timber exploitation in the central region of Ghana, starring David Dontoh and Alexandra Duah (late). I never got the chance to watch this film except the preview, but the memory is stack with me and that’s my fascination.

Nancy, Police Officer, Diabolo, Ogboo, Haverst at 17, Naomi, Sweetie, Ripples, Jah Gbele, Ghost tears, Step Dad, all these films fall in the category of 1990s films.

The only film from the year 2000 upwards was Kpoti Academy. Kyeiwaa Part 11 was mentioned but it was done for the sake of humour. The future film mentioned was “Kwasia Binti” on the court case won by Aseidu Nketiah, but no film has been made on it yet.

Facts to acknowledge, the film industry has grown, more production houses, more actors; television and radio stations have proliferated. This has impacted on viewership of films. In bygone years it was GTV and so that’s where the entire population turned to. As such films showed have left it indelible marks on that generation.

Let see 10 years from now, when the same question is asked, what answers are likely to come out. If we are blessed to be around by that time, Sharparrows will tell you. Am rolling out of here.