Ghana's National Film Authority (NFA) wants more people in cinema seats for local films. The authority has launched the Cinema Train Initiative, a platform designed to widen access to cinemas, improve how films are exhibited and create steady income for Ghanaian filmmakers, according to a report by Graphic Online published on MyJoyOnline.
The initiative was launched on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Silverbird Cinemas in Accra, the report says. It aims to revive cinema-going culture by connecting filmmakers, distributors, cinema operators and audiences.
NFA Chief Executive Kafui Danku said the initiative was developed together with industry stakeholders. "We cannot build a sustainable film industry if we produce films without creating pathways for people to watch them," she said, according to the report.
She urged Ghanaians to back local films with their wallets. "Buying a ticket is very important," she said.
At the centre of the initiative is the CinemaTrain website, where users can find screenings and buy tickets, the report says. Films already available on the platform include No Man of God, directed by Ampong Kwaku Kwakye, Shirley Frimpong-Manso's Agency for the Dead, and Joseph, an African-Caribbean drama.
The NFA also plans to build more cinema exhibition centres through partnerships with industry, private, public and community groups. It has engaged the National Commission on Culture to identify suitable spaces, especially in communities with few or no cinemas, according to the report.
NFA Board Chairman Ivan Quashigah said the initiative supports the authority's goal of getting 1% of Ghana's population to watch local films. He reaffirmed the NFA's commitment to tackling long-standing problems with the distribution and exhibition of Ghanaian films.
Producers Shirley Frimpong-Manso and Ampong Kwaku Kwakye of Kornerstonez pledged their support, as did exhibitors Silverbird Cinemas, Ozone Cinemas and The Trust Sports Emporium Limited, the report says.
The launch comes in the middle of a lively debate about the state of Ghanaian cinema. Actress and producer Yvonne Okoro recently said Ghanaians are too quick to dismiss local films while praising foreign productions, and filmmaker Leila Djansi called for a central database to make Ghanaian films easier to find and watch.
The Cinema Train appears to respond to some of those concerns by bringing listings and ticket sales into one place and pushing for more screens outside the main cities.
Most of Ghana's modern cinemas are concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, often inside shopping malls. Many towns and regional capitals have no cinema at all, which means local films often depend on YouTube, television and occasional screenings to reach audiences.
Community screening centres could help bring cinema back to places that lost their picture houses decades ago, when many old cinema halls closed or were converted to other uses.
For many families, a trip to the cinema is a significant expense once tickets, transport and snacks are added up. Online ticketing can make it easier to plan a visit, but the bigger test will be whether screenings become available at prices and in places that ordinary viewers can reach.
Danku, an actress and producer herself, has been leading the NFA's efforts to support local filmmakers, including programmes such as Ghana Cinema Week. Her background in the industry gives her first-hand experience of the challenges producers face in getting their films seen.
The success of the Cinema Train will depend on whether audiences use the platform and buy tickets, and on how quickly new screening centres can be set up. Filmmakers will be watching closely to see whether it delivers the revenue the industry has long struggled to generate.
