The Ghallywood Film Village, located off the Tema-Aflao highway, last Saturday held a mass graduation for its students for completing courses in movie-making at the film village’s academy.

The students, 238 in number, underwent various training in script writing, directing, acting, making up, digital editing and set designing, among other areas in the movie industry. The courses were offered in partnership with the National Youth Employment Programme.

The graduates, who were grouped based on the region they came from, were awarded with certificates. The certificates are to serve as documentary proof that they are indeed professionals. Apart from that, each group was given movie-making equipment including computers to start their own production.

The graduation ceremony attracted ministers of state and members of the film industry. Among them was Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Nortey Dua, who stood in for Vice President John Mahama. The rest are Deputy Minister of Information, Okudzeto Ablakwa and MP for Ashaiman, Alfred Agbesi.

From the film industry were Akumaa Mama Zimbi, Eunice Banini, Roger Quartey, Umar De 1st, Rev. Eddie Cofie, Harry Laud and Efo Kojo Mawugbe, as well as CEO of the village, William Akuffo. The ceremony was used to re-launch Film Village, where Nii Nortey Dua cut the sod on behalf of the Vice President to officially launch the village.

The village has been established for some years now with the aim of helping to structure the movie industry for economic growth. For the past few years, it has managed to carve a niche for itself with some movie productions and TV series.

It has also churned out a number of fresh movie stakeholders into the industry. Last Saturday’s graduation ceremony witnessed some enthralling drama and cultural display from some of the students of the academy.