Ghana’s film industry is being presented with renewed opportunities to turn its rich cinematic heritage into an economic asset, as filmmakers and industry stakeholders gathered in London to mark 103 years of Ghanaian cinema with the screening of the restored classic His Majesty’s Sergeant.
The 68-minute film, screened at Genesis Cinema in Bethnal Green on Saturday, September 19, 2026, formed part of activities commemorating the birthday of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and was organised by Flamboyant Damsel Films (GH) and UK-based Grace Abounds LTD.
The event brought together filmmakers, diplomats, members of the Ghanaian community, UK-African film industry stakeholders and film enthusiasts, highlighting the potential of Ghana’s film heritage to support the country’s wider creative economy.
The screening also drew attention to the importance of financing, production quality and distribution in building a commercially sustainable Ghanaian film industry.
Deputy High Commissioner of Ghana to the UK, H.E. Acquinas Tawiah Quansah, urged Ghanaian filmmakers at home and abroad to take advantage of funds made available by government and its partners to support film production and distribution.
He also commended the organisers, Mr Ato Yanney Jnr. and Mr George Bosompim, for preserving Ghana’s cinematic heritage in the diaspora, and stressed the need for quality productions to be the hallmark of Ghanaian filmmakers.
He also called for greater emphasis on production quality, noting that Ghana’s film industry had established strong foundations decades ago.
“This is the second time that I have watched this film, and looking at the quality of the production and the year this film was made, the Ghana Film Industry started well, so we need to live up to that expectation,” he said.
His comments come as the government continues to position film and digital content as part of Ghana’s economic and employment agenda. The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has described film as an industry with potential for job creation, tourism, education and national identity, while emphasising digital innovation as a means of expanding the reach of Ghanaian productions.
The Ministry has also identified content creation, post-production and distribution as areas where stronger investment and innovation could help Ghana compete in global markets.
A major feature of the London event was the appearance of 94-year-old Ghanaian cinematographer Rev. Dr Chris Hesse, who served as Director of Photography on the original production.
Rev. Hesse, who also worked as a cinematographer for Dr Nkrumah in the 1960s, shared his experience producing the film with the late director Ato Kwamina Yanney Snr, including the use of 35mm Panavision technology, which was groundbreaking for Ghana at the time.
His Majesty’s Sergeant tells the story of young Gold Coast soldiers recruited into the British Army during World War II and their experiences in Burma. The production was lost for more than 25 years before being restored by Ato Yanney Jnr of Flamboyant Damsel Films.
The restoration demonstrates another potential economic segment within Ghana’s film ecosystem: the preservation, digitisation and commercial distribution of the country’s audiovisual archives.
The event also connected Ghana’s cinematic past with its contemporary creative economy, with Dutch-born Ghanaian Afrobeats artiste FADU performing at the screening.
Organisers said the event was intended not only as a tribute to Dr Nkrumah and the pioneers of Ghanaian cinema, but also as a reminder of the commercial and cultural value embedded in the country’s film heritage.
The event was supported by the National Film Authority, IPMC Ghana, Gatlink Studios and Rainbow Radio International, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts and the National Commission on Culture.
Ghana’s broader digital-creative strategy increasingly views content as an economic product capable of reaching international markets. The government has cited successful Ghanaian productions distributed globally as evidence of how digital platforms can expand the market for local stories and create new opportunities for creatives.
For Ghana’s film industry, the challenge now is turning historic creative achievements and preserved archives into sustainable production, distribution, investment and export opportunities.
