Renowned Ghanaian comedian and filmmaker, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, popularly known as KSM, has offered a candid assessment of the Ghanaian film industry, stating that while the country is rich in talent and creative potential, it lacks a coherent structure to achieve widespread success.
Speaking during an interview on The Career show on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, KSM highlighted that Ghana has all the essential components needed for a thriving film industry, but is missing the framework—or the “recipe”—to bring it all together.
“Our film industry is filled with amazing talent. We have all the right ingredients, but I believe we haven’t quite figured out the recipe yet,” he said.
He pointed out that although a few Ghanaian filmmakers have managed to understand and apply this “recipe,” many are still grappling with the basic challenges of production and distribution.
“There are pockets of success, where some people have figured out how to make things work. But for the most part, that’s where our industry struggles,” he noted.
KSM attributed much of this struggle to the industry’s relatively young age, drawing a contrast with Nigeria’s Nollywood, which has had decades of experience to refine its processes.
“Ghana’s film sector is still in its early stages. You can’t compare our situation to Nigeria’s. They’ve been making films for a much longer time, and with every production, they’ve learned how to improve, especially in terms of distribution,” he explained.
He lamented Ghana’s lack of a sustainable distribution infrastructure, which forces many filmmakers to endure multiple financial and logistical hurdles.
“Often, someone has to hustle just to raise funds for a film. After paying for production and the cast, they still have to struggle to get it distributed. There’s no established distribution system in place,” he said.
KSM recalled a time when distribution was primarily done through CDs and DVDs, which required producers to hit the streets and sell copies manually—an approach he said doesn’t support industry growth.
“There was a time when, after producing a film, the next step was burning it onto a CD or DVD and selling it on the street. That’s not a sustainable model. It’s not a proper distribution system, and it shows we still don’t have the right recipe,” he added.
He acknowledged recent improvements, particularly with filmmakers managing to get their films into cinemas, but stressed that the lack of a nationwide distribution network continues to limit audience reach.
“There are some brilliant films being made today. But unlike countries with robust systems—where a film can launch in hundreds of cinemas across various cities at the same time—in Ghana, a movie might premiere at Silverbird in Accra, and then the producer has to figure out separately how to get it to Kumasi. That doesn’t help the industry grow,” he concluded.
Through his comments, KSM called for a unified effort to develop a long-term, functional system that supports both the creation and distribution of Ghanaian films, ensuring that the country’s creative talents can truly shine.