Local Ghanaian movies, mostly called 'Kumawood
Movies' have come under serious criticisms from
many Ghanaians concerning the kind of movies
produced from that side of the industry .
The paramount among the criticisms is the level of
the quality of these movies released onto the
market and the stories they portray.
Actor Eckow Smith-Asante not long ago said ninety
percent (90%) of movies produced from that sector
of the local movie industry are having a negative
effect on the Ghanaian movie industry as whole
which he received lots of animadversions from his
colleagues and the general public.
Veteran actor David Dontoh has added his voice to
the long talk about how 'Kumawood Movies' are
portraying our culture to the outside world
wrongly. In an audio tape played on Adom FM's
Adom Entertainment Hall Show over the weekend ,
the ace actor said Kumawood movies are not only
destroying the Ghanaian movie industry but also
destroying the Akan culture.
"…Kumawood movies are not only destroying the
film industry but the Ghanaina culture and the
Akan culture. Unfortunately they are not using the
right people who know how to make the films well
because they are not using the universal film
language," he said.
Speaking on how foreigners think about Ghanaians,
he said "what foreigners ask when watching our
movies is that 'oh so these people are they that
erratic? Don't they have sense to tell sensible
things to people? Is that how every Ghanaian
behaves?
"A lot of people outside think that every Ghanaian
is a comedian because that is what they have been
portraying in our movies. What you tell them is
what they think about." he added.
He further stated that you can't see an American
and say that he is poor because of what they have
been demonstrating in their movies.
"Why is it that the whole world everybody thinks
Americans are very strong, powerful, disciplined,
and authoritative human beings? It's because of
what you have seen Americans of in films. You
don't see an American and think he is poor
because they don't tell you they are poor in their
movies," he noticed.
He advised that these movies are used to depict
the Ghanaian and Akan culture so it should be
done well by exhibiting both the good and bad
sides of the society but not only the bad side.
"In as much as you are telling a story, don't forget
there are two sides of a coin. So if you are
shooting a movie, you should compare the bad
side to the good side of the society so that the
person watching will see the sensible logic from
what you are doing."
