Renowned film director Ivan Quashigah has responded to comments by Kumawood actor and producer LilWin over the use of language at the recent National Film Dialogue in Accra.
LilWin, who was a guest at the event, had complained about the event being held mainly in the English language and that speakers of local languages were not being given the platform.
However, in an interview with Hitz FM on September 18, 2025, Quashigah stated that every guest, irrespective of the language spoken, was given a platform to air their opinions.
“When he spoke in Twi, I did not understand. I’m an Ewe. And I doubt if I spoke Ewe, he also wouldn’t understand,” he stated.
He clarified, however, that “the NFA did not prevent anybody from speaking their local language. Anybody who wanted to speak their local language was allowed to speak.”
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He further expressed his frustration that the recent debate over language use is diverting attention from the substantive issues raised at the National Film Authority (NFA) dialogue.
“Some of these comments take us away from the objective. And it becomes the news. If you read through the conversation yesterday, you realise that everybody was talking about, oh, the language and all that,” he lamented.
Quashigah urged the industry to refocus on the core mission of the dialogue: finding solutions to the challenges plaguing Ghanaian cinema.
He emphasized that the crucial question is, “How can we move from where we are?”
His call is for stakeholders to shift the conversation from linguistic disagreements back to the pressing matters of production, distribution, funding, and policies that were the intended focus of the NFA forum.
Background
On September 16, 2025, the Ghana Film Authority held its National Film Dialogue at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, under the theme “Accelerating Industry Development.”
The event attracted a broad mix of participants, including government officials such as the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Yussif Issaka Jajah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, development partners, and professionals from across the creative arts ecosystem.
Discussions focused on innovative financing models, corporate partnerships, and enhancing global visibility for Ghanaian cinema.
Panel sessions featured industry leaders such as Ivan Quashigah (NFA Board Chair), Razak Abdulai (Chair, Film License and Accreditation Committee), and George Bosompim (Chair, Film Policy Committee).
Key topics included digital innovation, emerging film trends, financing mechanisms, and expanding distribution networks.
Organizers and stakeholders expressed optimism that the dialogue would be a catalyst for policy reforms, targeted investments, and collaborative efforts to unlock the full economic and cultural potential of Ghana’s film sector.
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