Ananse International Film Festival

The first international festival for Films, Videos and Television productions, Ananse International Film Festival, is slated for the 4 to 7 March 2007 under the auspices of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre.

The organisers of the festival - Africa Film and Music Company Limited and Media Associates (BAG) have just returned from South Africa where they attended the World Festival of Films and Video Market, SITHENGI.

The immediate past Director of Sithengi Film Festival, Michael Auret is supporting the Ananse International Film Festival with his six years experience in the organisation of film festivals and networking.

Already about one hundred exhibitors who were in South Africa have expressed their desire to be at Ghana's first international film festival.

Support is coming from the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture with some Embassies promising to fly resource persons for the seminars and workshops.

The main venue for the AIFF will be the air-conditioned auditorium at the administration Block of the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre. The seminars and workshops will also take place at the mini conference centre at the same venue.

The Festival will be so packaged as to bring together film makers, producers, writers, broadcasters, and all those in the Film, Video and Television industry under one roof to interact, network, exhibit and exchange ideas that relate to the plying of their trade. The event will also afford decision makers in the film industry a platform to meet interact and brainstorm with a view of fostering better and equitable trade relationships.

"AIFF 2007" will be organised in collaboration with the following relevant Government Ministries, Agencies and Diplomatic Missions.

The Festival will offer a unique exposition for film makers, television producers, writers, manufacturers, suppliers of film/video equipment and users of goods and services in the Film and Television production.

With the celebration of Ghana"s fiftieth Independence Anniversary in Accra, the Government is expecting over 10,000 tourists most of whom, will take advantage of the first Festival of Film and Video productions to see what Ghana and Africa can offer within the film Industry.

Ghana with a population of 20 million has about 10 TV stations (Free on Air and pay per view) and over 100 FM stations spread over the country. About 10 films are released monthly by film makers and over 50 series and serials produced for our TV stations. The Festival of Films and video productions will be a platform for players in the Broadcast and Film / Video industry to exchange ideas in a conclusive environment and serve access to Ghanaians seeking internal / international market as well as international companies and investors seeking joint venture partnership.

The vision of the Film Festival will be to increase trade opportunities and development in the Film / Video and Broadcast Industry. The areas of interest identified for the festival include screening of films, exhibition of broadcast and film/ video, facilitation of buying and selling of audiovisual content, facilitation of new contacts for participants, creation of conducive environment for speedy negotiation of deals and getting in touch with the latest changes affecting the audiovisual sector.

Key benefits

* Ghanaian filmmakers and overall attendees will learn new and innovative ways of producing television and film projects.

* Enhance marketing, production and distribution of Ghanaian film and TV products.

* An opportunity to establish new business partnerships between the Ghanaian, Nigerian, European and American TV and Film Industry.

* Increase overall awareness of the Ghanaian Film and Television Market.

* The opportunity to honour outstanding film makers and contributors to the film industry during the past fifty years