Apiorkor Seyiram Joins BSIFF Mission to Take Ghanaian Cinema Beyond Borders
Cinema has always had the power to cross borders, connect cultures, and bring people together. For the Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF), that power is at the heart of its growing vision for African cinema.
The festival has welcomed Apiorkor Seyiram Ashong-Abbey as its Diplomacy Ambassador, ahead of the 11th edition of BSIFF, scheduled for September 24–27, 2026, at Golden Eagle Cinemas in Kumasi.
The appointment strengthens BSIFF’s focus on using film and culture to build meaningful connections between Ghana, Africa, and the wider world.
Apiorkor Seyiram brings experience in culture, communication, creative expression, and international engagement to the new role.
As Diplomacy Ambassador, she joins BSIFF’s broader efforts to strengthen relationships across borders and create greater visibility for African stories and filmmakers.
The role goes beyond promoting a film festival. It reflects the growing recognition of cinema as a vehicle for cultural diplomacy, dialogue, and international exchange.
For BSIFF, having a figure with a strong connection to Ghanaian culture and creative storytelling adds another voice to its mission of bringing African cinema closer to global audiences.
BSIFF 2026 will be held under the theme “Film & Global Culture: The New Wave of African Cinema.”
The theme places culture at the center of conversations about the future of African filmmaking while examining how African stories can travel across borders without losing the identities and experiences that make them unique.
The festival’s 2026 official selection features films from 11 countries, drawn from submissions by filmmakers representing 42 countries.
The selected countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, the United States, South Africa, Zimbabwe, China, Cameroon, Singapore, the Dominican Republic, and Russia.
The program includes the International Showcase, Ghanaian Showcase, Student Showcase, Documentary, Africa Rising, Animated Films, AI-Generated Films, and Kumawood, alongside special screenings.
More than a film festival
BSIFF 2026 is also placing attention on some of the major issues shaping the African creative industry.
Among the festival’s key conversations are local-language cinema, the business of film, mental health for creatives, and artificial intelligence and the future of African storytelling.
These areas reflect an industry that is changing rapidly, with filmmakers increasingly navigating questions of identity, technology, sustainability, audience development, and creative well-being.
The inclusion of diplomacy within this wider conversation reinforces BSIFF’s ambition to position cinema as more than entertainment but also as a means of connecting people, cultures, and nations.
What should the world discover about Ghana?
As part of the conversation around Ghanaian cinema and cultural identity, BSIFF is putting a question to the public:
The question invites Ghanaians to consider the stories, traditions, values, and experiences they believe deserve a place on the global screen.
From language and food to music, traditions, history, landscapes, and everyday experiences, Ghana has a wide range of cultural narratives that can connect with audiences worldwide.
The question also speaks directly to BSIFF’s 2026 theme: how can African cinema engage global audiences while remaining rooted in African culture?
BSIFF heads to Kumasi.
BSIFF prepares for its 11th edition, bringing together filmmakers, creatives, industry professionals, and audiences in Kumasi.
With its focus on film, culture, and global engagement, the festival is positioning the 2026 edition as a space for both celebration and conversation about where African cinema is headed.
Apiorkor’s role as BSIFF Diplomacy Ambassador adds another dimension to that mission, particularly as the festival seeks to strengthen cultural connections and expand the reach of African stories.
From September 24 to 27, 2026, Golden Eagle Cinemas in Kumasi will become a meeting point for filmmakers and audiences engaging with the evolving landscape of African cinema.
And as BSIFF asks:
If you could put one thing about Ghana into our films for the world to discover, what would it be?
Tell us. Ghana decides.
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