King Ampaw saddened by film bill
King Ampaw, one of the major pioneers of Ghanaian films, has expressed disappointment about how the government is not helping the movie industry to flourish despite numerous calls to it in that regard.
According to King Ampaw, one of the major problems rendering the industry dormant is the lack of a national film policy to regulate activities of the industry, and added sadly that a drafted National Film Bill for the industry is still lying in Parliament. “Government had virtually failed to give credence to passing it”.
He told BEATWAVES on Wednesday that the industry cannot thrive and rub shoulders with others on the international scene unless government played its expected role.
The producer/director/writer and actor therefore appealed to the current government not to turn deaf ears to the pleas of the industry.
“If government passes the bill, it will give producers the right to acquiring good money for good productions without having to go through the hardships of acquiring loans from the banks.
If the rules and regulations are in place, nobody will just get up and do what he or she likes,” he added.
King Ampaw is one of the pioneers of film in Ghana. In 1983, he established Afro Movies and has since made a number of documentaries, films and television shows. Ampaw is also known from Werner Herzogs' film, “Cobra Verde” which he acted alongside Klaus Kinki.
He wrote and produced movies like 'Kukurantumi', 'The Road to Accra', 'Cobra Verde' and 'Nana Akoto'.
His “No Time To Die” production in 2007 is the talk of town. It will start premiering at the Silverbird Cinema tonight to Thursday, April 30.
Props of the movie are still mounted at the Accra Mall. It is the first time in Ghana. So far, the movie has been premiered at over 20 international festivals in different countries. It features seasoned actors like David Dontoh, Kwesi France, Agnes Dapaah, Fritz Baffoe, Kofi Bucknor and Evans Hunter.
The movie is the celebration of funeral courtship which is casually steeped in the Ashanti Tradition. It talks about the romantic travails of a love-struck driver (David Dontoh) to woo the lady of his dreams, despite her father's disapproval.