Members of the Film Producers Association of The Gambia (FPAG) recently held a congress at the Kairaba Avenue office of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) to elect a new executive to steer the affairs of their association.
Prominent Gambian filmmaker, Prince Bubacarr Aminata Sankanu, was unanimously elected, unopposed, as FPAG President in a transparent process supervised by the NCAC Director of Performing Arts, Mr. Sana Jarju. Other elected members are Franklin C. Adim as Vice President, Tida Sanyang as Secretary-General, Abdoulie Khan as Public Relations Officer, Marie Marenah as Treasurer, Kayode Adeleke as Programme Coordinator, and Fatoumatta Jallow as Assistant Secretary.
While expressing gratitude to the film fraternity for the trust and confidence bestowed upon him and his new team, Prince Sankanu encourages more collaboration among stakeholders towards the common good. With FPAG being the recognized collective bargaining group for the creative audiovisual sector, it stands to promote solidarity, standards, ethics, and professionalism.
On the need for permanent structures, Mr. Sankanu expresses his desire to engage The Gambia Government, development partners, and visionary investors in establishing a “Gambian Film or Creative Village” and reviving the cinema culture with the construction of cinema halls in the country. FPAG will also encourage the creation of a Gambian Film Commission, the operationalization of the Endowment Fund for the Arts, the standardization of film training curricula, and the completion of films, among other plans.
Sankanu encourages “anyone who wants to seriously make films in The Gambia or invest in Gambian film projects to consult us at FPAG for professional guidance and due diligence, as we can outline the risks and opportunities necessary for informed decision-making. Ours is a nascent industry, and we will continue to support filmmakers and enthusiasts in building their capacities accordingly. We invite all those interested in building careers in the cultural and creative industries, especially in the film domain, to join FPAG, as more benefits await them.”
Mr. Sankanu, who is the Deputy Government Spokesperson and an audiovisual communication expert, has been lecturing Film Studies at the University of The Gambia (UTG) School of Journalism and Digital Media (SJDM) since 2019. Sankanu’s film-related qualifications include a Master’s Degree in Film Studies from the University of Stirling in Scotland, UK, and a Diploma in Digital Film and Animation from SAE Institute in Cologne, Germany.
As a pioneer in new Gambian cinema, Sankanu launched The Gambia’s first-ever “Cinekambiya International Film Festival (CIFF)” in 2015 (https://cinekambiyafilmfestival.org/). From 2017 to date, he has produced over five groundbreaking Gambian feature films and documentaries on various societal issues, including Female Genital Mutilation, discrimination of children with disabilities, and betrayal of trust among friends (http://www.youtube.com/@SanxaafiTV).
Prince B.A. Sankanu, President of the Film Producers Association of The Gambia (FPAG)
