Actress Portia Asare Boateng has joined calls for stronger support for locally made films, urging filmmakers to remain intentional about preserving and promoting Ghanaian culture through storytelling.
In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeekend on Wednesday, May 20, Portia Boateng encouraged filmmakers, directors and stakeholders in the movie industry to focus on telling authentic stories rooted in Ghanaian traditions and identity.
“I want to tell each and every filmmaker, director, or stakeholder in the movie industry to let us try to tell our own stories,” she said.
According to the actress, international films can serve as sources of inspiration and learning but should not replace Ghana’s cultural identity.
“What we watch outside is just to give us an idea or inform us about what is happening outside there that we can fuse with our culture, but it doesn’t mean we should neglect our culture because that is what holds us together,” she stated.
Portia Boateng expressed concern that increasing exposure to foreign cultures, particularly among young people, could gradually shift attention away from local values and traditions.
“Because of today’s youth exposure, it’s preventing us from seeing what really is ours,” she noted.
She warned that failing to preserve Ghanaian culture through films could create a future where local values become overshadowed by foreign influences.
“If we are not firm with our own and tell the world about our culture in our movies, it’ll get to a time where we will only pay attention to the things of the Western world while neglecting ours,” she cautioned.
The actress, therefore, appealed to industry players to prioritise culturally-driven storytelling.
“So I will plead that we tell stories that depict our culture,” she added.
Portia Boateng’s remarks come amid ongoing conversations about the future of Ghana’s film industry following the launch of the Film Development Fund and renewed calls for stronger support and patronage for local productions.
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