Ghana is building its first cinema space dedicated exclusively to African and diasporic cinema, a landmark cultural project that aims to do more than screen films: it seeks to house and preserve a film culture that has existed for decades without a purpose-built institution to call home.

Named The Falcon Cinema, the project is currently under development in Berekuso by Studio NEiDA, an architecture practice co-founded by Fabiola Büchele, former Creative Director of Studio Francis Kéré, and Jeanne Autran-Edorh, who has trained at Herzog & de Meuron and Kéré’s studio. The studio previously curated Togo’s first pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

A Cinema Built From Ghanaian Earth

Inspired by the spatial organization of traditional Asante compounds, The Falcon is arranged as four earth-built structures surrounding a central courtyard. The venue will include two screening rooms, an outdoor cinema, communal spaces, a restaurant, and a film archive dedicated to African and diasporic cinema.

Constructed from locally sourced earth materials and topped with a palm-leaf thatched roof, the project combines passive ventilation strategies with contemporary screening facilities. The design prioritizes sustainability while honoring indigenous building traditions.

“The Falcon is not competing with a streaming subscription,” the project team noted. “It is making the case for cinema as a shared spatial experience.”

Programming With Rigo

The Falcon’s programming is led by Alice Otchere Johnson, a Ghanaian film critic and founder of AJ4short. Johnson is recognized as a Berlinale Talents 2026 fellow and was awarded the FIPRESCI Talent Press Award at Talents Durban 2025. Her involvement signals a commitment to curatorial excellence and a deep understanding of both African cinema and the global film landscape.

“This is what cultural infrastructure looks like when all the decisions are made from inside the culture it is meant to serve,” the project team stated.

Filling a Long-Standing Gap

The Falcon will become the first cinema space in Ghana dedicated to African cinema and independent films—an ambition the team describes as anything but minor.

“Ghana has a film culture, with directors, critics, and audiences who have been building that culture for decades, without a purpose-built institution to house it,” the project revealed.

With screening rooms, an outdoor cinema, and a dedicated film archive focused on African storytelling, The Falcon aims to celebrate and preserve Africa’s rich cultural and cinematic heritage while providing a home for the next generation of filmmakers and audiences.

More Than a Cinema

Beyond film exhibition, The Falcon is designed as a community space for public gathering, archival preservation, and cultural exchange. The inclusion of communal areas and a restaurant reflects the traditional Asante compound’s role as a social hub—a place where people come together not just for a specific activity, but to share space, food, and conversation.

For a continent whose stories have too often been told by outsiders, The Falcon represents a different vision: a cinema built from local earth, programmed by local critics, and rooted in local architectural traditions. It is, in the project’s own words, cultural infrastructure designed from the inside out.

Construction is ongoing in Berekuso. Further details on opening dates and programming schedules are expected in the coming months.

Nigerian music star Ayra Starr has sparked widespread debate across social media after appearing in a fashion look that blended a traditional Yoruba gele with revealing contemporary styling, reigniting conversations about cultural symbolism, celebrity image and support for African fashion designers.

The singer, one of Africa’s fastest-rising global music exports, appeared in a bra top, visible underwear, and a sheer polka-dot skirt while wearing the gele — a headwrap widely associated with elegance, celebration, and cultural identity in many West African communities, particularly among the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

Images of the outfit quickly circulated online, drawing sharply divided reactions. Supporters described the styling as youthful self-expression and a modern interpretation of African fashion, while critics argued that pairing the gele with provocative clothing undermined the cultural significance traditionally attached to the headpiece.

For many Nigerians and West Africans, the gele carries meaning beyond fashion. Often worn at weddings, religious ceremonies and major celebrations, it has long been viewed as a symbol of pride, femininity and social prestige.

Critics of the outfit argued that removing the gele from its cultural context risked turning an important heritage item into a purely aesthetic accessory.

The controversy has also widened into a broader discussion about the relationship between African celebrities and the continent’s fashion industry.

Some fashion commentators and online users questioned why globally successful African artists do not more consistently spotlight local designers despite the international growth of African fashion.

Nigeria’s fashion industry has gained increasing global recognition in recent years, with designers appearing at international fashion weeks, celebrity events, and luxury retail platforms.

Industry observers say musicians and entertainers play a major role in shaping visibility for African brands and influencing how African culture is presented to global audiences.

The debate surrounding Ayra Starr’s outfit reflects a larger cultural conversation unfolding across Africa’s entertainment and fashion industries — one balancing creative freedom, global pop culture influences, and the preservation of traditional identity in an increasingly international spotlight.

Abandoned historic venues like Roxy and Orion Cinemas highlight crisis as NFA moves to recover, renovate and reopen theatres across the country

Accra, Ghana – April 18, 2026 – The National Film Authority (NFA) has begun a major push to revive Ghana’s struggling cinema culture, starting with efforts to reclaim and restore long-abandoned cinema halls in Accra and other regions.

A recent documentary by the NFA revealed the dilapidated state of once-popular venues such as the Roxy Cinema and Orion Cinema in Accra. The Roxy, a former entertainment landmark, now stands derelict and unrecognizable as a cinema, while the Orion Cinema at Circle shares a similar fate. Similar abandoned cinemas exist in Kumasi, Takoradi, Cape Coast (including the historic Rivoli Cinema), and other cities.

Currently, Ghana has very limited functional cinema infrastructure. The only major operational cinemas are Silverbird outlets at Accra Mall and West Hills Mall, with a combined capacity of under 1,000 seats. Industry stakeholders say this severely restricts revenue for filmmakers, making it difficult to recoup production costs and sustain regular film output.

Recovery and Community Initiatives

NFA officials, including CEO, Kafui Danku, and her Deputy, James Gardner, have visited abandoned sites to assess their condition and signal the authority’s intention to take over, renovate, and reopen them. The goal is to create a network of cinemas that would allow simultaneous premieres in multiple cities including Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale.

As part of its broader revival strategy, the NFA organized community film screenings during Easter under the “Ghana Film Experience” initiative. A local film, Ramadan, directed by Kobbi Rana and shot in Nima, was screened for free in the Nima-Mamobi area, drawing strong community turnout. The authority is also promoting pop-up cinemas to rebuild public interest in Ghanaian movies.

NFA leaders say the strategy goes beyond reopening old buildings. It includes stimulating private investment, expanding cinema infrastructure, creating jobs, and positioning Ghana as a leading film hub in Africa. They are calling on investors, developers, and creative partners to help transform historic venues into modern cinemas and cultural centers.

Industry voices emphasize that success will depend on producing high-quality films, delivering strong audience experiences, and maintaining consistency in screenings.

The NFA’s multi-pronged approach aims to reverse years of decline and restore cinema-going as a vibrant part of Ghanaian cultural life.