Globalisation and indigenous cinemas

A history of Ghanaian Dagbanli films

Bibliographic Data

ID11814115
AuthorsWunpini Fatimata Mohammed (0000-0001-9251-5930, Entertainment & Media Studies, College of Journalism & Mass Communication, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume28
Issue2
Pages286-305
Publication date2022-05-09
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of International Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1321-6597 • E-ISSN: 2158-3471
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13216597.2022.2073256
OpenAlexW4229365555
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited23

While there has been extensive research on English language media in Ghana, there remains a huge gap in indigenous language media research. Through in-depth interviews with movie industry stakeholders, this article examines the history of indigenous language film in Northern Ghana, paying attention to the evolution of the movie industry and the various cultural flows that have shaped its development. Grounding the study in indigenous African knowledge systems, I present the history of the Dagbanli movie industry. I argue that to understand how the Dagbanli movie industry has been sustained for three decades, it is imperative to examine critically the industry’s history and the innovative strategies filmmakers have employed to keep up with changing trends in technology and aesthetics in the film industry. Filmmakers draw on Dagbaŋ culture (one of the major ethnic groups in Ghana) and film industries in the Global South to address the needs of their audiences while funding their films independently. From these findings, practical and theoretical recommendations are presented to contribute to improving filmmaking and research on indigenous language filmmaking in Ghana

Art · Ethnic group · Film industry · Film studies · Filmmaking · Globalization · Indigenous · Indigenous language · Media studies · Movie theater · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Visual arts · African history and culture studies · Anthropology · Cinema and Media Studies · Law · South Asian Cinema and Culture