James Gardiner Urges Ghanaians to Back Local Films: 'A Good Film Will Travel'

Ghana's film industry has long grappled with a troubling paradox: audiences that flock to foreign productions while scrutinising homegrown content with an unforgiving eye. Now, actor and National Film Authority (NFA) Deputy Executive Secretary James Gardiner is speaking out, urging Ghanaians to shift their mindset and give local filmmakers the backing they need to compete on the global stage.

Quality Over Population: Gardiner's Core Message

Speaking on Joy FM's Showbiz A-Z with arts and culture journalist Kwame Dadzie, Gardiner pushed back against the common argument that Ghana's relatively modest population limits the commercial potential of its films. For him, that reasoning misses the point entirely.

"If a film is good, it will travel. When a film is good, forget the numbers, it will travel," he said, acknowledging that whilst audience size does play a role, the quality of a production and the strength of local support are far more decisive factors.

Gardiner stressed that without genuine backing from Ghanaian audiences, even the best efforts by producers, distributors and regulators would fall short. "We can create an enabling environment for all our stakeholders, producers and what not. It can be as vibrant as it should be. But if we don't have that support system backing us, it's not going to work," he explained.

He also took aim at what he described as a double standard in how Ghanaians consume film content — readily excusing flaws in foreign productions whilst going out of their way to find faults in local ones. "We are watching a Ghana film and you are hearing a lot of noise about it, watching to find out the faults instead of actually appreciating the work that is being done," he said.

Yvonne Okoro Echoes the Frustration

Gardiner was not alone in his concerns. Actress Yvonne Okoro, who also appeared on the programme, added her voice to the conversation, pointing out that Ghanaian film producers are working hard to sustain viable businesses in a challenging environment, only to be met with disproportionate criticism from the very audiences they are trying to serve.

Okoro noted the irony that many Ghanaians will comfortably sit through and enjoy foreign films of questionable quality, yet hold local productions to an impossibly high standard. This kind of bias, she suggested, chips away at the confidence and resources of an industry still finding its footing.

Why It Matters for Ghana

Ghana's film industry — once a cultural powerhouse in West Africa during the era of cinema halls and the beloved Ghallywood productions — has been working to reclaim its relevance in a digital age dominated by Nollywood, Hollywood and streaming platforms. The NFA has been at the centre of these revival efforts, rolling out several key initiatives designed to address structural weaknesses in the value chain.

Among the most significant is the Film Development Fund, which targets critical areas including production financing, distribution, marketing, skills training and cinema infrastructure. The Authority has also facilitated the National Film Dialogue — a platform for industry-wide conversations — and has been working to expand film education and community screenings across the country.

These institutional efforts, however, can only go so far without a corresponding shift in public attitude. As Gardiner's remarks make clear, the commercial survival of Ghana's film industry ultimately rests on whether Ghanaians choose to invest their time, money and goodwill in it.

• Nollywood's dominance across Africa is a constant reminder of what is possible when a film industry enjoys strong domestic patronage.
• Streaming platforms such as Netflix have shown that well-made African content — including Nigerian and South African productions — can attract global audiences.
• Ghana has a growing diaspora audience that could serve as an additional market, provided the films are made available through the right channels.

The message from Gardiner and Okoro is simple but urgent: Ghanaians must become the first and most loyal audience for their own stories. Without that foundation, no regulatory framework or development fund can substitute for the cultural pride that turns a local film into an international success.