By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, June 21, GNA – The Institute of Film and Television (IFT) of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ghana, has hosted a two-day Russian Film Festival aimed at strengthening cultural exchange and expanding learning opportunities for Ghanaian film students.
The festival, held on June 16 and 17, formed part of a broader initiative to establish long-term academic and industry partnerships between IFT and Russian film institutions, including potential student and lecturer exchange programmes.
Featuring a selection of acclaimed Russian films, the event exposed students to diverse storytelling traditions, cinematic aesthetics, and contemporary filmmaking techniques, while opening discussions on future collaboration between the two countries’ film industries.
Professor Samuel Manasseh Yirenkyi, Rector of IFT, said the partnership represented a strategic effort to enhance the institute’s international profile and create opportunities for joint research and professional development.
“This is not a one-off event. We are looking at a long-term partnership that will include student and lecturer exchanges, capacity-building programmes and opportunities for our people to engage with and penetrate the Russian film market,” he said.
Growing global interest in African stories presented a unique opportunity for Ghanaian filmmakers to collaborate with international partners and showcase local narratives on larger platforms, he said.
“Our aim is to develop programmes that will benefit Ghana, Russia, IFT, UniMAC and film universities in Russia. International filmmakers are increasingly turning to Africa because they recognise the richness of our stories and creative potential,” Prof. Yirenkyi added.
Dr Rebecca Ohene-Asah, Dean of the Faculty of Digital Media and Design at IFT and coordinator of the festival, described the initiative as an important learning platform for students and faculty.
She noted that Russia had made significant contributions to global film and theatre development, making the collaboration particularly valuable for Ghanaian students seeking to broaden their creative and technical skills.
“We need to learn from the best. Russia has a rich heritage in film and theatre, and we are interested in understanding how their cinematic aesthetics, techniques and visual effects can contribute to the growth of Ghana’s film industry,” she said.
Students viewed four Russian films during the festival; The Challenge and Three Seconds on the opening day, followed by Flight Crew and The Star on the second day.
Mr George Bosompem, a lecturer at IFT, said exposure to Russian filmmaking traditions would help students appreciate influential editing techniques such as the Soviet montage, which continued to shape modern cinema.
“The Soviet montage movement was a major development in film theory and practice. Pioneers such as Vsevolod Pudovkin and Sergei Eisenstein established principles of editing that remain relevant and widely applied in filmmaking today,” he explained.
Students who attended the festival welcomed the initiative, describing it as an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives on filmmaking and industry practice.
Micaiah Milady Orlanda, Students’ Representative Council President of UniMAC, said the experience had broadened students’ understanding of international cinema and highlighted areas where Ghana’s film industry could grow.
“We look forward to more collaborations and greater exposure. Watching these films has shown us that there is much more to learn, and it has also highlighted the need for improved equipment and resources to support our work as film students,” she told the Ghana News Agency.
The organisers expressed optimism that the festival would serve as a foundation for deeper cooperation between Ghanaian and Russian film institutions, fostering knowledge exchange and creating new opportunities for emerging filmmakers.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Patrick Ofoe Nudzi