Today marks the official start of the highly anticipated 9th annual Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF), an event that has become key in Africa’s film calendar. Running from September 17th to 22nd, the festival brings together filmmakers, industry professionals, and movie enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate African cinema and storytelling.

This year’s theme, “Tell Your Story: Elevating Unique African Narratives,” highlights the importance of African voices in the global film industry. As BSIFF continues to grow, it remains committed to giving filmmakers from Africa and its Diaspora a platform to share their stories, providing a rare opportunity for these narratives to reach wider audiences.

Over 50 films from more than 20 countries will be showcased throughout the week, representing a broad range of genres and styles. From feature films and documentaries to short films and animations, this year’s lineup promises to deliver thought-provoking, entertaining, and culturally rich content that reflects the diversity of the African experience.

In addition to screenings, BSIFF offers a dynamic program of workshops, masterclasses, and panel discussions, including its signature Africa Film Market. These sessions provide valuable insights into the filmmaking process, financing, and distribution, helping to bridge the gap for African filmmakers who often face barriers in accessing resources and platforms.

BSIFF’s focus on empowering Ghanaian, Black, and African filmmakers is central to its mission. By providing opportunities for emerging talent to connect with industry leaders, the festival aims to foster a thriving African film industry, not just in Ghana but across the continent.

Film lovers and industry professionals alike are encouraged to join the festivities in Accra and take part in this celebration of African cinema. With an exciting lineup of events and a focus on storytelling that connects people across cultures, BSIFF 2024 is set to be an unforgettable experience.

You can still register to attend and purchase passes through the official BSIFF website: www.bsiff.org. Exclusive membership opportunities are also available for those seeking additional access and benefits.

Stay tuned for more updates

“We are starting off to situate Ghana as a film hub. If anyone wants to shoot anything in Africa, this is where they should come,” said the CEO of National Film Authority, Yaa (Juliet) Asantewa Asante. She believes that Ghana’s film industry should partner with the tourism sector to promote ‘film tourism’ as a concept to rejuvenate Ghana’s film industry while promoting tourism.

Asante is a filmmaker herself and the founder of the Black Star International Film Festival. In her keynote address during the maiden Ghana Diaspora Investment Summit, she noted that many Hollywood films and television series have been able to increase tourism in the countries that their productions were filmed in. She cited how the popular series, ‘Game of Thrones’ had a significant impact on tourism in locations where filming took place. According to Forbes, the series helped to drive tourism in Croatia, Iceland, Ireland and Spain. A 2018 report stated that the series helped to boost tourism in Northern Ireland by nearly $40 million each year.

“Ghana is very well positioned, we have everything. We have sunshine 365 days of the year, we have great locations, we have great skillset…we have a good landscape and cost of production is relatively low compared to other parts of the world,” Asante said. The National Film Authority is working towards doing as much as they can to support filmmakers in the industry. Asante said they are there to help take you through the process and do their best to support people in making a good return on their investment. “We are working on tax incentives as well, the things that you want to hear as an investor,” she said, “..that you can make your money here. You can achieve more with less money and make more return on your investment.”

Film has the power to promote the country unlike any other medium and Asante says we must work together to achieve the goal and having a minister who believes in this makes the possibilities of achieving the goal even better. We need to close the content gap that exists in the country.

Story by: Ivy Prosper