The Sierra Leone Film Industry Leaders Over The Years

Hopeful Abu Musa has been the Public Relations Officer for the Sierra Leone Film Council since it formation in 2013. He is a very well talented actor who came to fame for the movie – KASAM, a traditional movie that was done in the Krio Language. He is definitely a talent but he grows furiously  angry especially at the criticism of their leadership. This has been seen over the years in his contentions with other filmmakers that do no longer support their leadership. Obviously, their leadership do not have any tangible evidence or any achievement to write home about. He is currently not an active filmmaker but holds a full time job.

Yusuff Nanah Charm – Ex-PRO 2 Film Council

Yusuff Nanah Charm is an Ex-PRO 2 who served in the current leadership of the Sierra Leone Film Council and resigned after about half of a decade with them. He is a very talented filmmaker, a teacher, writer, poet, screenwriter who first came to lime-light during the hay days of theater performances and stage drama in Sierra Leone. He has written a lot of stories and groomed a lot of young talents. for that, he came be applauded.

However, Yusuf Nanah Charm is seen as a very controversial character across the country by several filmmakers. Even though he resigned some years back, but he seeming works with the said leadership. He has been to support the wrong decisions, in that he would speak in favour of Michael and the others. Interestingly, he went on to form the the Union of Eastern Filmmaker Alliance when he knew full well that there was already an existing film body (Eastern Filmmakers) within the same zone.  – the East-end of the capital city of Freetown. Contravening the very standards he seemed to have stood for. With his kind of massive caliber, he would have been someone to have been very out spoken at the under performance of the Film Council Leadership as his voice would be a game changer. To some extend, his quietness is an undertone to some stagger that plays under hand within the Sierra Leone Film Industry Leadership.

Brima Abdulai Sheriff Former Chairperson Film Guild 2012 – 2018

Martha Millicent Macauley is the Vice Chairperson for the Sierra Leone Actors’ Guild. As an individual, Martha possesses a good persona. She is an extrovert and therefore has a very wider network across the entertainment industry. She is the founder and CEO of her multimedia company – MathaRanks. She is one of the outstanding Sierra Leone actors the industry has got with a wealth of experience overseas. She decided to support the process because she saw it as an opportunity to serve and give back to a lot of young ones that look up to her kind.

Since stepping on the scene, she has been popular than the very chairperson of the Actors’ Guild, Med Unis. Together with her team, they have been able to secure acres of land for the guild. However, it is not clear what would be the intentions in developing the land as some of their members have been raising some concerns. 

Barbar Sesay is the current chairperson of Directors’ Guild Sierra Leone. He is one of those helping to kill the growth of the Sierra Leone Film Guild. He does not have much to offer but cannot walk away.  He serves as the Chairperson of the Directors’ Guild and as Secretary of the parent body, the Sierra Leone Film Industry Labour and Marketing Guild. He is one of those helping to pull down their own leader, the chairperson of the Sierra Leone Film Guild – Daramy A. Kabba.  He does not have much to write about as achievement while in the seat, but it seems he cannot make up his mind to walk away either. His hot temperedness has caused a lot of uproar with the body he leads. Unlike the production of membership identification cards, he has not been able to achieve or implement any of the several plans he and his team have been putting together, year in, year out.


                                      Henrietta Mbawoh – Executive Member of the Sierra Leone Film Council.

Lloyd Zachariah Sesay  is the Ex Actors’ Guild Sierra Leone Secretary General who resigned in 2021 after being with the body for almost half a decade. He moved on to set his already registered company – Lloyd Zacky Production. In his tenure at the position, he made several contributions that helped the body to attain national and international attention within the Sierra Leone Film Industry and sub-region, respectively.  He is one of the team members that helped the structuring of the Actor’s Guild Sierra Leone. Aside from his former position, Lloyd is one of the individuals that are contributing to the steady development of the Sierra Leone Film Industry through his short movies and the accolades he has gotten through the various international platforms he has gained recognition from. He is a very outstanding actor, who started as a screenwriter and director.

Ernest Mannah – Founder of the Sierra Leone Film Foundation and founding member of the Film Guild

George Luis is the current Chairperson of the Cinematographers & Technical Guild. He is one of the longest serving filmmakers in Sierra Leone with a wealth of experience in cinematography. He works with the national news organization – the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation.  He is definitely one of the leaders  amongst all that have been able to make the Sierra Leone Film Guild a force to reckon with.  Under his watch, measures are being put in place for technical people to avoid destroying film projects. 

Papa Edwin Pshaw – Founding member of Film Guild

Papa Edwin Pshaw is included in this list because he was a founding member of most of the bodies that had existed before and those that are currently in existence. He was one of the first camera men that helped to build the Sierra Leone Film Industry. Currently, he is a mass communication student at the Limkokwing University of Technology. He is a bit on the low key in terms of the leadership of the film industry for reasons best known to him.  

Conclusion

The gospel truth is that most of the current individuals holding positions at the helm of the Sierra Leone Film Industry have not been performing. That being said, a good number of them do not seem to see that it is time to walk away and let a young generation of leadership to be set. It is very funny that those that have not performed well are they that are always creating furious situations when being told the truth. All will not know it, until when the government takes over the industry but setting up an entertainment commission – with bodies as the directorate of film, the directorate of culture and the directorate of music; according to current developments.

When serving as a leader, walk away when it is due and cannot perform. Don’t let yourself to be dragged out by especially the young generation.