Ghana’s movie industry suffers from poor distribution – Selassie Ibrahim

Veteran Ghanaian actress Madam Selassie Ibrahim has blamed the industry's decline largely on inadequate distribution, stating that films need a clear path to reach audiences and generate profits. Speaking on Angel FM, Selassie Ibrahim urged the industry to treat film production as a business that can generate enough revenue to finance future projects.

"If content is seen but not making money at the end of the day, it is not a business; it’s just for visibility. You just want people to see you," she emphasized. According to her, many industry players have prioritized appearances on television and public recognition without considering the commercial structures essential for sustaining film production.

"We do not add the business aspect to our industry. Everybody wants to be on TV and wants to be seen; it’s about time we added business to it," she added. Selassie Ibrahim believes developing the commercial side of the industry would establish a sustainable revenue cycle, enabling filmmakers and producers to fund future productions.

She identified distribution as the primary issue, stressing that even quality content would not revive Ghana's film sector without proper systems to deliver productions to paying audiences. "The major challenge is distribution," she stressed. She called for greater focus on the business and distribution structures of Ghana's film industry to ensure productions translate into sustainable revenue instead of merely providing visibility for filmmakers and actors.