Ghanaian actor and filmmaker LilWin has stated that he had to take a $400,000 loan to complete his upcoming movie, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
He also revealed that the total production cost amounted to about $500,000.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, LilWin revealed that producing his Captain Ibrahim Traoré movie was so financially demanding that he had to find support.
“Captain Ibrahim Traoré movie took every ounce of effort, money and support I could gather. It has been very financially demanding. I had to take out a loan of about $400,000 in addition to my own money and help from others, bringing the total to around $500,000,” he said.
He pointed out that many people often doubt the amount of money filmmakers in Ghana claim to spend on their projects.
According to him, filmmaking in Ghana also has high costs, like in Nigeria and Western countries.
“When it comes to film-making in Africa, especially in Ghana, we work with specific budgets. Unfortunately, many people do not believe us when we mention how much our movies cost, but it is the truth. Just as in Nigeria, where some films cost about $1 million to produce, or in the West, where a single movie can cost as much as $30 million or more, we also invest heavily here,” he said.
LilWin also shared what it takes for an African film to gain international attention. He believes that telling stories rooted in African culture is key.
“If you want your movie to be accepted internationally, you cannot just tell any story. It has to be rich in African culture, our history, our traditions and our folklore. That is why I focus on African stories that showcase who we are,” he added.
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