TIPTOPSTARS

Whether Cameroonians watch Cameroonian movies is a difficult question to answers. Yet, it is a fact that they have problems watching them. Not because the movies are not watchable – of course they are – but largely because accessibility remains a major issue. “Where can we find the movies?” has always been the excuse-answer to why they are slow at watching their own movies. The whole issue of marketing Cameroonian movies has been topical at various levels, including the Cameroon Film Industry, CFI. Perhaps the challenge extends to every corner of the industry including individual initiatives.

One of such individual initiatives that are ready to face this challenge is BA-home. BA-Home is short form for Bara Homeland Entertainment. It is a new film distribution outfit operated from Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde, precisely situated at the Carrefour Lycee Biyem-Assi neigbourhood. Run by young and dynamic Irine Bara, an accredited movie distributor, script writer and producer, BA-Home has shelves full of Cameroonian movies ready to be picked up for viewing.

“When they come along with their movies, we expect producers to let me watch them first. Then, if we are satisfied with the content, we reach an agreement, get into a contract and copies of the movie go to the shelves,” Bara told TIPTOPSTARS. “ I must note here that I don’t have rights yet so, the distribution is based on sale percentage, with a contract that states the period for which the we will distribute the movie, at the end of which the producer, if they wish can get their movie,” she went further.

According to BA-Home CEO, she set up the outfit to protect her works, as well as create a platform for other movie-related activities. It has however not been chocolate running the business. “It has been difficult to get across to a Yaounde population that is predominantly French-speaking, that is the reason we are urging producers to subtitle their movies before handing them to us,” Bara explained. The CEO did not fail to launch a clarion call to all Cameroonians at home and in the Diaspora to support this initiative, inspired by the BA-Home slogan – ‘Making a positive difference with an extra action, an extra vision for extra success’.