Socrate Safo

Socrate Safo is a Ghanaian director, filmmaker, and Director for Creative Arts at the National Commission on Culture (NCC) in Ghana. He is a prominent figure in Ghallywood and head of Move Africa Productions.[1]

Socrate Safo
NationalityGhanaian
CitizenshipGhanaian
Occupation(s)Director, filmmaker
Years active1992–present
Notable workGhost Tears

Career

Safo began his filmmaking career while working as a janitor in a movie theater. He was initially training to be an auto mechanic. It was during this time he filmed his 1992 movie Ghost Tears, which became a commercial success.[2] The movie helped pioneer the Ghanaian ghost film genre.[3]

Safo was Public Relations Officer of the Film Producers Association of Ghana.[4] He featured prominently in the 2011 VICE documentary The Sakawa Boys, which spoke about Safo's influence on the Sakawa movement in Ghana. Safo claims to have made more than 100 movies between 1988 and the filming of the documentary.[5]

In June 2017, Safo was appointed as Director for Creative Arts at the NCC.[6] Previously, he had been working as Executive Secretary at the NCC.[7]

In May 2020, Safo was appointed by Barbara Oteng Gyasi as Chairman of the Film Classification Committee, formed under the National Film Authority of Ghana. The goal of the committee is to regulate and promote the Ghanaian film industry.[8][9] In 2021, he announced his retirement from filmmaking.[10]

Awards and nominations
Year Organisation Award Work Result
2010
Ghana Movie Awards
Best Directing - English
Adults Only
Nominated[11]

References
  1. Sika, Delali (2 January 2020). "Movie industry woes our own fault - Socrate Safo". Graphic Showbiz Online. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  2. Guneratne, Anthony R.; Dissanayake, Wimel, eds. (2003). Rethinking Third Cinema. London: Routledge. p. 132. ISBN 0-203-63758-5.
  3. Garritano, Carmela (April 2017). "The Materiality of Genre: Analog and Digital Ghosts in Video Movies from Ghana". The Cambridge Journal of Postcolonial Literary Inquiry. 4 (2): 191–206. doi:10.1017/pli.2017.12. S2CID 193022216. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  4. Dadson, Nanabanyin (16 December 2010). "We are sorry - Filmmakers say". Graphic Showbiz. Graphic Communications Group (653): 4. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  5. Thomas Morton. The Sakawa Boys (documentary). Vice. Event occurs at 11:48. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  6. Dadzie, Kwame (13 June 2017). "Socrate Safo gets Commission for National Culture appointment". Citi 97.3 FM. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  7. "Socrate Safo Finally Gets Letter As Director @ Commission On Culture". Entertainment Ghana. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  8. "Socrate Safo: We will protect the future". BusinessGhana. May 15, 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  9. Attractive, Mustapha (May 9, 2020). "Film Classification Committee To Be Inaugurated On Thursday". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  10. Acquah, Edward (26 April 2021). "Socrate Safo announces retirement from filmmaking with 'Tun-Tum' movie". Republic Online. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  11. Dadson, Nanabanyin (2 December 2010). "Ghana Movie Awards". Graphic Showbiz. Graphic Communications Group (651): 12. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
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