Overview of the Sierra Leone Film Industry 2022

This article is an overview and summary of some of the popular events, people and issues that took place across the Sierra Leone Film Industry in the year 2022.

The Most Trended Issue or Individual(s) in Random Selective Categories

Below is either an individual, a group of individuals or issues that trended across the Sierra Leone Film Industry in 2022.

Most Famous Filmmakers that Passed Away in 2022

. Martha SesayIn the same year, three key figures in the Sierra Leone Film Industry passed away living the whole industry wondering in that their deaths took place almost rapidly within the same period in orderly manner as the photographs above from left to right. Martha Sesay, Elija Musa Deen and Edward Roma Bangura respectively left the industry troubled being that they all individually played a great role to ensure the growth of the industry.

The Most Trended Issue was the National Film Policy

In my view, 2022 was a wonderful year for the Sierra Leone Film Industry. Even though everything did not happen as we expected but we saw a collaborative push for the finalization and enactment of the film policy. For the first time in several years, we saw the Sierra Leone Film Guild and the Sierra Leone Film Council at some point share the same goal – to the point that they sat in the same room and discussed the drafted film policy. The Sierra Leone Film Policy was by far the most trended issue across the film policy even though it followed the passing of three popular filmmakers that got filmmakers and non-filmmakers talking for almost half of the year. Although both film council and film guild had their camps, there was a focus on the goal to foster the enactment of the film policy by every means, despite the financial and political challenges.

The Most Respected Actor

To this day, Desmond B. Finney remains to be the most respected actor and filmmaker in the Sierra Leone Film Industry. He respected by both filmmakers and non-filmmakers and he remains to be a blessing in disguise for the industry and so many young stars. He has been able to maintain himself in every aspect and has never belittled himself or jeopardized his credibility with anybody. He is indeed a star in his own right.

The Most Treading Actor

http://Ramadan K. D. BarrRamadan K. D. Barry remained the most trended actor in the Sierra Leone Film Industry from 2021 to 2022. He actually came to the limelight from the sequel of the movie ‘’Deep in The Game Reloaded’’ where he debuted as the leader of a drug gang with a very higher influence amongst his followers. That movie was followed by an award as the 2018 Best Movie Actor given to him by the National Entertainment Award. To this day, he enjoys a lot of appearances in very serious movie projects.

The Most Popular Diasporan Actor and Filmmaker

Winstina Taylor remained to be the most popular actor and filmmaker that lives in the diaspora throughout 2022. She remained to be committed to her craft throughout the year and was able to hon very good collaborations across Africa and some of the movies like ”The Good Wife, Nurses from Hell, etc, can be found on Amazon Prime.

The Most Popular Actor with the Same Looks in Several Movies

Yayah Conteh happens to be the most popular star actor in the making that appeared in several movies with almost the same kind of hairstyle. To date, he carries the hairstyle. 80% of Yayah’s appearance in movies have been in action, thrillers or adventure mobies. He came through a beginner but managed to get the attention of some producers and casting directors because of his galant height and athletic body.

The Celebrity Couple of the Year

Iscandri Almamy Sankoh and Adama Fofanah Sankoh closed 2022 as the most popular celebrity couple of the year. Iscandri, being a popular filmmaker and CEO of multiple shows had been in a relation with Adama, a journalist and popular MC and radio show host. The two got married on the 27^th of November 2022 in Kabala aftr being in a relation over over three years.

Unfortunately, it all started well but did not end well for the couple as they had a stillbirth at the end of it all. Adama was hospitalized during labour, only for the doctors to find out and inform thet family that the baby in her womb had already passed away. She struggled a lot to get through, but by the will of God, she gave birth to the dead baby while she maintained her health. Even though the end of 2022 did not go well but the couple remain thankful to God for what happened especially the woman’s life.

The Most Featured Actor

Al-Idriss Kamara aka Director Demoh remained the most featured actor throughout 2021, and 2022 to date. We cannot tell whether he has been making enough cash out of all his appearances, but he was able to employ his ability to appear in several movies with more than 10 in 2022 alone; out of the over 350 appearances he has made so far. In most of the movies he played major roles, and at times even ended up serving as an assistant director especially when he would meet amateur directors on set. The secret about his energy for such wonderful valour is the passion he bears in his heart for the craft. Even though some elite filmmakers criticize him for appearing in films done by amateur directors, he remains committed to ensuring most of those movies become successful projects by offering his experience in the directing space when the need arises. He might not be the viewers’ choice but he remains the most popular actor amongst filmmakers than any filmmaker.

The Most Popular Professional Film Blog

To this day, mageSALONE remains to be the most popular professional film blog that promotes and talks about movies. The blog site was founded in ealy 2020 and soon gained momentum across the industry. imageSALONE remains the only professional platform that focuses solely on filmmaking, and the promotion of Sierra Leone Filmmakers home and abroad. Although the owners have not gone public, they have been working behind the scenes to improve by minimizing most of the mistakes they did in the pasts years and as well turn the entity into a full cooperate entity that will promote paid projects.

The Most Popular Film Director

Lansana Mohamed aka Spartar remains to be the most popular movie director from 2021 to the end of 2022. He is probably the most influential movie director in Sierra Leone. Most of the movies he has directed in recent times have not only been popular across Sierra Leone but have won both local and international awards. Sparta has just recently completed his studies and achieved a degree in law from the University of Makeni.

The Most Formidable Film Association

The most formidable film association or group of professional filmmakers that came together in a form of a business association were the Sierra Leone Female Film Producers. The group remains to be the most formidable and most organized with a very good business focus, and they have managed to produced almost the best and most popular films that came form Sierra Leone in recent times.

The effort of this group was followed by the Sierra Leone Elders Council, a group comprised of mostly veteran and well-experienced filmmakers in Sierra Leone. Some of the popular names that are part of the Female Producers are Zainab Sillah Fiamapple, Kadija Jalloh, Christiana Kamara, Michaella Sellu, Thelma Banadeth, Martha Hanson, Aminata Aminash Kabba,etc. However, the disadvantage of the female producers’ team is that, there is no female producer from the province that is part of them.

The Most Popular Sierra Leone Movies in 2022

The list of movies herein was the most popular movies that the public saw and knew about so far were: ‘’Where Lies the Truth, Night Nurse, Th Good Wife, Foster Parent, Jinns of Darkness, What e’ Berah, Game On, Desperate & Sankoh’s Diamond.’’ Interestingly, 99.5% of these movies were produced by