Accra: The African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) has urged President John Dramani Mahama to harness Africa's creative economy, including the talents of actresses, influencers, and musicians, to produce at least two Pan-African films. These films are intended to communicate and further his vision for reparatory justice.
According to Ghana News Agency, this call comes in the wake of Ghana's significant leadership at the United Nations General Assembly. A resolution led by President Mahama was adopted by an overwhelming majority of 123 Member States, declaring the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and the system of racialized chattel enslavement as 'the gravest crime against humanity'. Only three nations, the United States, Israel, and Argentina, opposed the resolution, while 52 countries, including the United Kingdom and European Union member states, abstained.
Mr. Mawuko Kuadzi, an Artios Award winner and member of the Casting Society of America, expressed his surprise that President Mahama did not mention film as a tool for advocacy during his UN address. He highlighted the strategic use of film by the United States to project American power and values, urging the President to consider incorporating films into his advocacy tools.
Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, President of the ACCP, provided historical context by referencing the Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment (BEKE), a British colonial project used to shape pro-colonial narratives. He emphasized the importance of controlling narratives and drew parallels with modern examples, such as the 2025 film 'Heads of State', which serves as advocacy for NATO.
Nana Dwomoh-Doyen stressed the need for African leaders to commission films that explain reparatory justice. He emphasized the power of cinema to shape public opinion and called on the President of Ghana, the African Union, and the United Nations to consider intentional film production to educate the masses on reparatory justice.
The ACCP proposes two Pan-African films: a feature-length dramatization of the transatlantic slave trade from an African perspective and a documentary or narrative film explaining reparatory justice. These films would serve as educational tools to restore dignity and address global inequalities tied to the legacy of enslavement.
President Mahama has described the resolution as a 'pathway to healing and reparative justice'. Kuadzi reaffirmed his commitment to lead the casting efforts for these projects, emphasizing the potential of discovering talent across the continent.
The ACCP argues that investing in African films and content is a form of reparation, contributing to an industry that generates jobs and projects African narratives. They also appealed to the African Union and the United Nations to include film production in the reparatory justice agenda, proposing that part of a potential reparations fund be directed towards film production to educate and empower.