National Film Authority is politicised – Leila Djansi

Filmmaker, Leila Djansi, has raised serious alarm over what she describes as the politicisation of the National Film Authority (NFA), warning that it threatens the growth of the country's film industry.

Speaking on Hitz FM yesterday, Leila stressed that filmmaking should remain rooted in art and creativity, not political allegiances.

“I feel like the NFA is politicised, which should not be so. The film industry should not be politicised. It is not politics, it is art,” she said.

Leila explained that her decision to distance herself from the current NFA leadership is not due to disinterest but a conscious effort to avoid political entanglements. She emphasised her willingness to support the industry in every way possible—except through partisan lines.

The award-winning director also called for the decentralisation of the NFA's operations. She argued that filmmakers across Ghana should not depend solely on the Accra office for permits and support.

“The NFA is a government office. Their job is to regulate, to issue permits, to serve as the bridge between filmmakers and government. But again, it should not be a centralised office,” Leila noted.

She proposed that district-level NFA offices be established, each empowered to meet the specific needs of local filmmakers. “If I'm going to film a wedding in Ho and fly a drone, I should be able to walk into the NFA office there and pay for my permit,” she suggested.