The Days of Film Groups in Sierra Leone, are Gone

ByFayia Foray

Sep 11, 2022

Photo by Donald Tong on <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-camera-recorder-66134/" rel="nofollow">Pexels.com</a>

Despite the internal huddles, the Sierra Leone Film Industry has been doing well. Even though it is much known so by the filmmakers than the Sierra Leonean populace. The film industry started way back in the 19th Century, but it sprang with strength in the late 2000s, after the 11 years of civil war when theatre groups turned to filmmaking and most of those that were in the theatre art simultaneously evolved as filmmakers.

The Emergence of Film Groups

The industry started with good productions and because people saw to it that strength can be achieved when they came together, a lot started forming groups. Initially, the groups did well, especially across the Western Area and that success stretched across the country with the formation of film groups in the provinces. It fostered the decentralization of the art. However, it became a disadvantage when a lot of young people started breaking away so fast and forming groups which led to a decrease in better films produced and an increase in badly produced films.

Filmmaking By Regions

Unfortunately, the Western Area that started with glory followed in the same direction. When you look at the socio-economical set-up of Sierra Leone, you’ll know that the Western Area has done very well in the production of good films. However, the days of film groups died between 2010 to 2015. This was the moment a lot of people preferred to be independent rather than part of groups because of the frustration they go in return; when directors who owned these groups behaved like demigods. Of late, independent film producers have been able to do so well, especially with the emergence of female film producers who have taken it to another level by making it their registered legal business.

The Northern Region

The northern region has some of the finest brains in the industry but unfortunately, that has not counted in terms of breaking the boundary in terms of successful films. The only films that have been able to cross and go across the nation are Zhoria, a film directed by Alfred Harun Thullah, and Victim, a documentary that was written and directed by Isacndri A. Sankoh who won the first Human Right Documentary Competition that was organized in Sierra Leone, since the end of the civil war.

The northern region has very professional filmmakers with very high respect in the industry that are considered when it comes to film industry politics. The north is the earliest to have formed a film production after the Western Area when Alfred Harun Thullah moved with the branch of Faith Production. Interestingly, no film production has been successful to get their films across the nation except Mimi Go-Try Film Production and of Al-Man Film Production which have been masters in getting their films across the country, especially in the provinces. Arguably, Alhassan Ahmed Kargbo, aka G. Brown has sold the highest number of local films across Sierra Leone. That is, films that he has been able to sell in every district across Sierra Leone and he has been able to achieve this with not less than four different films. Major filmmakers in this region have relaxed because they no longer want to be part of all but to produce good films. They seem to be cracking their heads, and my instinct tells me that we shall see that manifest in 2023.

At the regional level, Bombali, PortLoko and Tonkolili are the only districts that can be counted when it comes to filmmaking. Since the region was divided, it is only Lungi that has been doing well in the North-western Region.

The Southern Region

Filmmakers in the South have been doing well and it seems they have been able to break the boundary to infusing with the Western Area so well than any other region. However, it seems most of their success has been in getting national attention for their films and awards. But they have not really been able to sell most of their films nationwide except with the likes of ‘’Dead Zone’’, a film which crosses borders and is sold in every district. Two key filmmakers have been the outbound champions for the region to get the national attention that they have today. These, are the late Sibbie Alpha Sibbie and Mohamed Sow aka 001. And filmmakers in the region seem to have put all aside but determination and oneness to their craft and most of their film houses now, are registered businesses. Unfortunately, it is only the Bo district that is doing well across the region.

The Eastern Region

When you talk of filmmaking in the Eastern Region, Kenema and Kono have been doing well unfortunately, this region seems to be behind all the regions. Kono Filmmakers seem to be moving very slow but also have been able to get the national flavour with the emergence of filmmakers like Sia Confort Ediener Nyekeh who is always spreading her network from the national level to her district, Kono.

Kenema has some of the most passionate filmmakers in Sierra Leone, but it seems they are still in the age of film groups filled with so many in-fights and backstabbing against themselves. Young filmmakers have stagnated because of the loyalty they so much have for their group owners and directors. Interestingly, some of the directors take advantage of this and mislead the young stars to an extent of banning them not to act for any other group but theirs alone. Kenema can have some of the best actors if only the directors and group owners show love and allow actors to follow their craft, and act across various groups without malice but for passion.

Film Groups Are Dead

The Sierra Leone Film Industry has gone past the days of film groups when people contributed money to produce a film. Film groups have been great in the growth of the industry, but they are no longer needed. One no longer needs to be part of a film group to be a successful actor. Being a filmmaker, and blogger, I have aligned a lot of young people with some of the smartest talents in the industry. Most times people who want to join the industry do contact me and I have been able to merge them with experience filmmakers that end up introducing them to the industry.

What we need now are brilliant and passionate independent filmmakers, agents, and producers who can make the money count for filmmakers in various sectors to flourish. We are closely moving into the professional realm where actors will be successful if they find agents and directors will be successful if they align with producers that can make them get contracts.