Media Houses Should Stop Twi Telenovelas and Support Local Film Industry – Ellen Kyei White

Ghanaian actress and media personality Ellen Kyei White has called on media houses to reduce their reliance on Twi-dubbed foreign telenovelas and give greater support and airtime to locally produced movies.

She said the move would help create a stronger platform for Ghanaian filmmakers and contribute to the revival and growth of the local film industry.

Ms Kyei White made the call in a social media post while commending actor and filmmaker Kwadwo Nkansah Lilwin for what she described as his commitment to promoting Ghanaian movies.

According to her, Lilwin had brought together several prominent Ghanaian actors for his latest movie project, including Majid Michel, Agya Koo, Bill Asamoah and Roslyn Ngissah.

She said the involvement of the established actors demonstrated the filmmaker’s determination to make Ghanaian movies attractive to audiences again.

“Media houses should stop the Twi telenovelas and support the local industry,” she stated.

Ms Kyei White also praised Lilwin for bringing different actors together and investing in a project she said could help project Ghanaian talent and contribute to the development of the movie industry.

She noted that the revival of Ghana’s film industry required the collective efforts of actors, producers, filmmakers and media organisations.

According to her, television stations and other media platforms had an important role to play by giving locally produced content greater visibility and reducing the dominance of foreign productions.

The comments come amid continuing concerns among stakeholders about the challenges facing Ghana’s film industry, including limited investment, distribution difficulties, declining patronage of local productions and competition from foreign content.

Ghana’s movie industry has over the years produced prominent actors and filmmakers whose works have gained popularity both locally and internationally.

Ms Kyei White’s comments have therefore reignited discussions about the need for stronger collaboration between Ghanaian filmmakers and media houses to promote local productions and provide sustainable opportunities for industry players.

Meanwhile, a claim circulating on social media that Lilwin has spent more than GH¢20 billion on his latest movie project could not be independently verified.

The reported involvement of several notable actors in the production, however, has generated interest among movie enthusiasts and renewed attention to efforts to promote Ghanaian film productions.