Actress Gloria Sarfo is unhappy about the state of Ghana’s movie industry, arguing that too many movies shown in cinemas are of a quality more suited for YouTube.
According to her, the inability to draw a line between big-screen productions and online releases is one of the industry’s biggest setbacks.
Speaking on GhanaWeb’s X Space on September 12, 2025, Sarfo contrasted Ghana’s approach with that of Nigeria. She pointed out that Nigerian filmmakers have built a clear system where some movies are made specifically for streaming platforms while others are reserved for cinema release, a model she believes has helped raise standards and broaden audiences.
“I always make reference to Nigerians, and people are sometimes not happy. But one thing I know is, they have their movies that go on YouTube. They have their YouTube movies; they have their cinema movies. I think if we adapt that, it will help, because not every movie is supposed to be on YouTube and not every movie is supposed to be in the cinemas,” she said.
Gloria stressed that in Ghana the opposite often happens, with films that would go straight to YouTube elsewhere being premiered in cinemas.
“But here in Ghana, some movies that other countries take to YouTube are what we are taking to the cinemas. Let’s be frank… some of the movies that are taken to the cinemas are just mind-blowing. I’m like, ‘Hello, should this really be a cinema movie?’” she added.
She cautioned that unless Ghana adopts a clear distinction between cinema-worthy films and streaming releases, the local industry will continue to lag behind its peers.
“We should be able to differentiate, so that we know not every movie should be taken to the cinema. Until we get to know that, we can’t meet the global market,” Gloria Sarfo stated.
