Ghana is set to hold a new annual international film festival from March 2012. The Festival of Films Africa (FOFA) will be an opportunity for the Ghana Film Industry to reach its full potential as an emerging force in the world media.

Film industries across the world have significantly supported their economies by aiding the creation of jobs, the nurturing of talent and an explosion of creativity. The story isn’t any different in Ghana, which stands to gain more from the film industry than just an increase in the GDP of the nation. Film can be an avenue to get unemployed youth off the street as a typical movie set will employ about forty people and give thousands an income from selling the movies and promotional items that go with it.

FOFA is a film festival that will focus on ‘Class A’ movies produced in Africa and by Africans from around the world. The festival will have workshops and seminar facilitated by international and local experts for film makers and all those involved in movie making.

The primary venue for the festival will be the Silverbird Cinema, Accra Mall where a minimum of 20 selected movies will be screened for public viewing from March 1-4, 2012. There will be free movie screening at other venues such as The Accra Polo Grounds, Nima, 441 park, Circle, Obra spot, Accra, Rawlings Park, Tema Community Centre and the Madina, main lorry park. The Goethe Institute will also sponsor and host seminars and workshops.

FOFA will be an avenue for awarding and recognizing the African film maker and all those who make the movies we watch possible. It will bring all stakeholders together and present to them, through the seminars, opportunities for collaboration and funding. The crowning event of FOFA will be a dinner gala where Film makers will be awarded for distinguishing themselves in the movie industry.