NFA Boss Kafui Danku-Pitcher and Deputy James Gardiner Lead Charge to Revive Ghana’s Dead Cinemas

Ghana’s film industry is entering a renewed phase of intentional growth and restoration, led by the National Film Authority (NFA) under the leadership of its Executive Secretary, Kafui Danku-Pitcher, alongside Deputy Executive Secretary James Gardiner. Together, they are steering a more deliberate effort to strengthen the country’s film ecosystem, particularly through renewed attention to cinema infrastructure and exhibition.

As part of this effort, Kafui Danku and James Gardiner undertook a symbolic inspection tour of some of Accra’s long-abandoned cinema spaces, highlighting a shared institutional commitment to reviving Ghana’s cinema culture. While the visit reflects a broader NFA agenda, the observations, statements, and call to action were delivered by Kafui Danku-Pitcher in a video documenting the experience.

During their visit to Roxy Cinema, the team encountered what was once a vibrant cinematic hub, now left in a state of visible neglect and stripped of its original purpose. The reality of the location underscored the urgency behind the NFA’s intervention. Moving on to Orion Cinema, the search itself proved difficult, reflecting how physically and symbolically lost these once-prominent spaces have become. Upon arrival, the condition mirrored that of Roxy, another historic cinema abandoned to time.

These cinemas once served as more than entertainment venues. Under the Ghana Film Industry Corporation, with support from private sector players, they operated as cultural gathering points where storytelling, community engagement, and national identity intersected. Their current state represents not just structural decay, but the gradual erosion of a shared cinematic experience in Ghana.

What stands out in this renewed push is the clarity of vision driving it. As Kafui Danku-Pitcher emphasized in her address:

Our goal is clear: to stimulate private investment, expand cinema infrastructure, and make film accessible to more Ghanaians.

Her remarks position the initiative not merely as a restoration project, but as a strategic effort to rebuild an entire ecosystem around film exhibition.

The visits to Roxy and Orion are both symbolic and strategic, marking the beginning of a broader plan to recover, restore, and reimagine these facilities into modern cinema and creative art centers. The intention is not only to preserve legacy spaces, but to transform them into functional, sustainable, and revenue-generating hubs that can serve both the community and the industry.

Beyond culture, the initiative carries strong economic implications. Reviving cinema spaces opens pathways for job creation, youth empowerment, and the growth of creative enterprises, while reinforcing Ghana’s potential as a leading film hub in Africa.

At Loomflix, we believe this development reflects a critical shift in how the future of Ghanaian cinema is being approached. The focus is expanding beyond production into distribution and exhibition; areas that are essential for any thriving film industry. The NFA’s move to reclaim and redevelop these spaces creates new opportunities for collaboration between filmmakers, platforms, investors, and creative entrepreneurs.

The message is clear: the revival of Ghana’s cinema culture will require collective effort. With leadership from Kafui Danku-Pitcher and institutional backing from the NFA, the foundation is being laid but its success will depend on how quickly and effectively stakeholders respond to the call.