Categories Merge At Movie Awards

Unlike previous editions which had separate categories for English and local language movies, there would not be such differentiation of categories anymore at the Ghana Movies Awards(GMA). The categories will be merged, according to Gollywood Productions, organisers of the awards scheme, to conform to international standards. �Indigenous movie actors, directors, editors and their movies will now compete in the same category with their English counterparts�, said Mr Prince Tsegah, General Manager of Gollywood Productions at the launch of the fourth edition of the GMA last Tuesday at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra. The event is scheduled for December 30 at the Accra International Conference Centre. The final list of nominees will be released at a nominees party on December 14 at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra. According to Mr Tsegah , to make the nomination process more transparent and the awards more credible, a a panel made up of 50 key industry players has been formed to oversee these. � Also, this year�s awards will be dedicated to the memory of Ghanaian writer, poet and film maker, the late Professor Kofi Awoonor who died on September 21, in Kenya for his contribution to the industry.� Launching the event, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu- Agyare, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, said: � The Ghana Movie Awards has become the biggest annual event in the film industry, which the entire industry looks forward to. �It is my expectation that events like this would encourage businessmen to invest in the industry in addition to government assistance and policies to enhance the industry and thus create jobs for local film crew�. Mrs Ofosu Agyare added that her Ministry had already constituted a committee that was drafting a legal and regulatory framework for the creative arts industry. �The Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Information and Media Relations and industry stakeholders to ensure that the Draft Cinematography and Film Bill is passed into law�. Mr. Steve Asare Hackman, President of the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), took the opportunity to talk about some of the plans he had for FIPAG as well as the association�s affiliation with the Ghana Movie Awards. The launch was graced by actors and actresses including Eddie Nartey, John Dumelo, James Gardiner, Vivienne Achor, Emmanuel Armah and Paulina Oduro.