Ghanaian actress, Gloria Sarfo is unhappy about the absence of key film stakeholders at the second edition of the Africa Cinema Summit which was held in Accra from 7th to 10th October, 2024.

Describing the situation as “disheartening”, Gloria told TV3 in an interview that even though some actors and producers may have been on set shooting films, they should have made time for such an important programme.

“We’ve really learnt a lot. Like I said, it’s all about Africa, projecting our local languages and also our cinema markets. It’s really disheartening, I think it’s a better word, to realize that most of our industry players were not here.

“You remember yesterday when Kunle was talking, and he was asking where are your movie producers? Where are the actors? And it was so embarrassing that there was silence in the entire auditorium.

“It’s possible that most of them maybe filming, maybe on set at the moment, but trust me, we could have also made some time for this, for the industry,” she said.

The summit which was held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra from 7th to 10th October 2024 drew, from across the globe, film buffs such as English actor of Ghanaian descent, Idris Elba, who headlined the opening of this year’s event.

The 2024 programme focused on growth in quality of local content production and consumption driving the case for increased cinema investment.

This year’s edition had more progressive conversations on how to further consolidate the progress made in the African cinema industry, fostering collaboration, innovation and sustainable growth.

The first edition of the event, drew various film makers from 20 African countries to Ghana for varied conversations on growing cinema on the continent.

The Africa Cinema Summit 2024, organised by the National Film Authority, was in partnership with Filmhouse Group (Nigeria), Silverbird Cinema (Ghana), Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria, Century CineMax (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) and Canal Olympia.