Socrate Safo
{{Short description|Ghanaian director}}{{Infobox person
| image =
| name = Socrate Safo
| nationality = Ghanaian
| citizenship = Ghanaian
| occupation = Director, filmmaker
| years_active = 1992–present
| notable_works = Ghost Tears
}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Sika |first1=Delali |title=Movie industry woes our own fault - Socrate Safo |url=https://www.graphic.com.gh/showbiz/news/movie-industry-woes-our-own-fault-socrate-safo.html |date=2 January 2020|accessdate=19 March 2020 |work=Graphic Showbiz Online |language=en-gb}}
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.{{cite book |editor1-last=Guneratne |editor1-first=Anthony R. |editor2-last=Dissanayake |editor2-first=Wimel |title=Rethinking Third Cinema |date=2003 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=0-203-63758-5 |page=132}} The movie helped pioneer the Ghanaian ghost film genre.{{cite journal |last1=Garritano |first1=Carmela |title=The Materiality of Genre: Analog and Digital Ghosts in Video Movies from Ghana |journal=The Cambridge Journal of Postcolonial Literary Inquiry |date=April 2017 |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=191–206 |doi=10.1017/pli.2017.12 |s2cid=193022216 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-journal-of-postcolonial-literary-inquiry/article/abs/materiality-of-genre-analog-and-digital-ghosts-in-video-movies-from-ghana/1BFA25A91DBF146DE91642D2B1F2FF57 |access-date=27 September 2022|url-access=subscription }}
Safo was Public Relations Officer of the Film Producers Association of Ghana.{{cite journal |last1=Dadson |first1=Nanabanyin |title=We are sorry - Filmmakers say |journal=Graphic Showbiz |date=16 December 2010 |issue=653 |page=4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAUfZkf2ChcC |accessdate=19 March 2020 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group |language=en}} 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.{{cite AV media |people=Thomas Morton|date= |title=The Sakawa Boys |trans-title= |medium= |language= |url=https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/internet-scamming-in-ghana/56afa217b579bc97037237f3 |accessdate=19 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630142301/https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/internet-scamming-in-ghana/56afa217b579bc97037237f3|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 30, 2016|format=documentary|time= 11:48|publisher=Vice}} In 2015, he closed down his Movie Africa Studio because of 'Dumsor'.{{Cite web |last=Online |first=Peace FM |title=Socrate Safo Sacks All Workers, Closes Down Movie Africa Studio Because of 'Dumsor' |url=https://www.peacefmonline.com/pages/showbiz/movies/201508/251770.php |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Peacefmonline.com - Ghana news}}
In June 2017, Safo was appointed as Director for Creative Arts at the NCC.{{cite news|last1=Dadzie |first1=Kwame |title=Socrate Safo gets Commission for National Culture appointment |url=http://citifmonline.com/2017/06/socrate-safo-gets-commission-for-national-culture-appointment/ |website=Citi 97.3 FM |accessdate=19 March 2020 |date=13 June 2017}} Previously, he had been working as Executive Secretary at the NCC.{{cite news|title=Socrate Safo Finally Gets Letter As Director @ Commission On Culture |url=http://www.entertainmentgh.com/news/noise-socrate-safo-finally-gets-letter-director-commission-culture/ |website=Entertainment Ghana |accessdate=19 March 2020 |date=12 June 2017}}
In May 2020, Safo was appointed by Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts as Chairman of the Film Classification Committee, a committee formed under the Ghana National Film Authority. The goal of the committee is to regulate and promote the Ghanaian film industry.{{cite news |title=Socrate Safo: We will protect the future |url=https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/entertainment/213094/Socrate-Sarfo-We-will-protect-the-future |accessdate=22 July 2020 |work=BusinessGhana |date=May 15, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Attractive |first1=Mustapha |title=Film Classification Committee To Be Inaugurated On Thursday |url=https://www.modernghana.com/entertainment/63375/film-classification-committee-to-be-inaugurated.html |accessdate=22 July 2020 |work=Modern Ghana |date=May 9, 2020 |language=en}} In 2021, he announced his retirement from filmmaking.{{cite news |last1=Acquah |first1=Edward |title=Socrate Safo announces retirement from filmmaking with 'Tun-Tum' movie |url=https://myrepubliconline.com/socrate-safo-announces-retirement-from-filmmaking-with-tun-tum-movie/ |access-date=28 September 2022 |work=Republic Online |date=26 April 2021}}
Personal life
Safo is married to his wife Mercy. He has three sons and a daughter.{{Cite web |title=Socrates Safo's Wife Speaks Out |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/Socrates-Safo-s-Wife-Speaks-out-215066}} He is a member of the New Patriotic Party.{{cn|date=September 2024}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Organisation ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Award ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Work ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | {{center|Ghana Movie Awards}} | {{center|Best Directing - English}} | {{center|Adults Only }} | {{center| {{Nominated}}{{cite journal |last1=Dadson |first1=Nanabanyin |title=Ghana Movie Awards |journal=Graphic Showbiz |date=2 December 2010 |issue=651 |page=12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gH3EIf9hmREC |accessdate=19 March 2020 |publisher=Graphic Communications Group |language=en}}}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7389039/?ref_=nmbio_emt_1 Socrate Safo on IMDb]
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Category:Ghanaian film directors