Ghanaian filmmaker, McListowell Koranteng gets into Britain’s most prestigious film school NFTS
One of the major challenges currently facing the Ghana film industry is the lack of highly skilled and trained talents whose works are able to compete on a global scale and project the industry in a way that boost investors and stakeholders’ confidence.
With the exception of a few whose works are able to transcend the corridors of the Accra Mall Silverbird on to the global stage, many Ghanaian productions die off after the premier night.
Ghanaian filmmaker McListowel Koranteng is among a selected few who’s works have transcended to the global stage. He made headlines last year when his directorial debut, “The Curfew” secured a simultaneous acquisition by five major international airlines and followed by a streaming deal with amazon prime.
The latest milestone for the ambitious filmmaker is gaining admission into one of the most prestigious film institutions in the world, NFTS.
The National Film and television school is regarded as UK’s most esteemed film school and one of the best globally. With a 3% acceptance rate, NFTS is highly competitive and one of the hardest film institutions to get into.
Situated in Beaconsfield studios, Buckinghamshire, about 40km from soho, the entertainment district of the United Kingdom, the school boasts of some of the most famous and inspiring luminaries in cinema history.
Among these accomplished alumni are notable figures such as Roger Deakins, the Oscar-winning cinematographer behind “1917”; Laurie Nunn, the creator of the globally acclaimed Netflix series “Sex Education”; David Yates, the BAFTA-winning director renowned for the “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” series, Academy award winning animator, Nick Park, and Dario Marianelli, the Oscar-winning composer, among others.
With about 14 academy awards and 146 BAFTAs, NFTS is one of the most awarded film schools.
In 2013 the school became the first film school in history to win all three of CILECT’s (the main international film and TV school association that includes 160 schools from 60 countries.
With a graduate employment rate of over 90%, NFTS graduates go on to become key creative leaders for much of the UK’s largest and most high-profile film and television landscape.
According to Charlotte Moore, The BBC’s Chief Content Officer, the NFTS is a “world leader when it comes to developing creative talent – it has produced some of the most gifted filmmakers in the business and provides a vital pipeline for the UK’s creative industries”.
McListowel is inspiringly illuminating the space where he stands. His journey not only underscores the significance of talent and unwavering determination but also underscores the relentless pursuit of excellence.
In the words of David Puttnam, “If we’re to have a future as an industry, we need skills. To have skills, we need investment. To have investment we need to be constantly making our case to why we are a really significant component of the nation’s economy and tourism.”