Ghanaian actress and filmmaker Selassie Ibrahim has urged local filmmakers to stop imitating foreign cultures in their productions, saying authentic Ghanaian stories are more attractive to international distributors.
Speaking during a recent industry event, Selassie said her ambition is to help take hundreds of Ghanaian films to international festivals and markets, but insisted that success will depend on telling stories rooted in Ghanaian culture.
“I want to be proud to say that I have collected 200 Ghanaian movies that I’ve been able to sell,” she said.
She cautioned filmmakers against producing stories that resemble Hollywood productions, arguing that international audiences already have access to original American content.
“Don’t go and be telling American stories in Ghana. If they want to watch American movies, my dear, they speak better English.”
According to her, streaming platforms are increasingly interested in productions that preserve their cultural identity.
“Netflix will buy content with 70% to 80% local dialect… They want you to be yourself. They want you to tell your own story.”
Selassie said filmmakers should resist the pressure to imitate foreign trends and instead embrace Ghanaian traditions, language and storytelling.
“If they are watching an American story and you are doing the lower version, what do you want them to buy? Tell your stories boldly. Be Ghanaian.”
