Ghanaian actress and movie producer Yvonne Nelson has revealed the challenges she has faced in the film industry, including an attempt by the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) to sabotage her career.
Yvonne shared that her outspoken nature and willingness to speak up about industry issues led to her being banned by FIPAG. “I was banned by a group of men in the industry, they call themselves FIPAG. Something happened on set, and they all came together. When you’re a woman and you’re vocal, people don’t like that,” she said. “They felt I was complaining too much about things I was unhappy with,” she added.
Speaking on The Career Trail show with Irene Adubea Aning, Yvonne explained that the ban was a form of intimidation aimed at silencing her. “They wanted to end my dreams, teach me a lesson, and silence me as a young girl in the industry,” she said.
Despite the setback, Yvonne was inspired to start her own production company, YN Productions. “I decided I could do my own thing, produce my own movies. So, I registered a company and started producing,” she explained. She also credited Kelvin Kobiri, who now works in ministry, for believing in her and funding her first few movies.
Yvonne also recounted how her first production was sabotaged when armed robbers stole all of her edited footage. “The first production got stolen after editing. Armed robbers broke into the editor’s studio and took all the drives. We lost everything we had shot. I believe it was sabotage,” she said. Despite the setback, Yvonne and her team reshot the entire production at a significant cost.
Despite these challenges, Yvonne’s resilience paid off, and she has since produced 14 movies, including Kotoka and Heels and Sneakers. She also teased the release of her upcoming movie, Summer.
Reflecting on her journey, Yvonne acknowledged the tough nature of the film industry. “I’ve been through a lot as an actor and producer. The industry has shown me hate, greatness, and goodness. It can be toxic, and if you’re not strong, you might not last,” she stated.
The 4th episode of The Career Trail New Edition recently explored Yvonne’s early life, with part two of the conversation, focusing on her journey as a school owner and author, set to air on Saturday, April 5, at 4 p.m. on Joy Learning TV and 6 p.m. on Joy News.
