In the heart of Accra where stories once flickered across giant screens and laughter echoed into the night, a different story unfolds now; one of quiet, more uncertain, yet deeply human.

There was a time when going to the cinema was an event. It was where friendships were strengthened, families bonded and strangers became a community, if only for a few hours.

At cinemas like the Roxy, Rex, Orion, Globe, Opera, Palladium Royal, Kalamazoo, Miami and Regal, among others, people did not just watch films, they shared moments.

Today, those moments feel distant and a visit by The Spectator revealed a totally different story.

At the Roxy Cinema, the transformation was impossible to ignore. The once lively space has taken on a new life; one shaped not by entertainment, but by survival.

Under simple, makeshift shelters, women prepare meals over open fires. Nearby, colourful clothes hang across long wooden benches, the same benches that once held eager cinema-goers waiting for the show to begin.

Buckets, basins and cooking pots are neatly arranged in corners, turning what used to be a place of escape into something far more practical: a place to live and to work.

For those who now occupy the space, this is not about replacing cinema, it is about meeting daily needs.

Not far away, the story at Rex Cinema unfolds differently, but leads to the same conclusion.

At the entrance of the Rex Cinema, the bold sign still announces its name, as if holding on to its identity. But behind that name, the purpose has changed.

Where people once queued for tickets, Ghanaian-themed items now hang for sale. A Black Stars jersey sways gently at the entrance, welcoming not movie lovers, but customers.

Inside, glimpses through glass doors reveal stacked goods and household items. The cinema has quietly transitioned into a storage and trading space.

At Orion Cinema, the entrance to the main cinema hall has been locked but the front view is filled with newspaper vendors, black market operators and food stuff vendors.

Across Ghana, many of these once-beloved spaces have slowly slipped into similar states.  These spaces are either abandoned, repurposed or simply forgotten.

Years ago, under the Ghana Film Industry Corporation, cinemas were central to social life. They were places where stories, both local and foreign, helped shape identity and imagination. But times have changed.

Mr Bernard Tagoe, a caretaker at Roxy Cinema, for the past eight years, spoke to The Spectator candidly about the situation.

“Anything can happen, if the owners come today and say everyone should leave, we’ll have to go. So I always remind them to be ready,” he stated.

He noted that some of the women cook and sell food to earn a living, while others simply need a place to rest.

He said a monthly fee of GH¢100 is taken to pay for property rates and other expenses, adding that, “receipts of such payments have been safely kept for the future.”

Today, entertainment fits into the palm of a hand. With mobile phones and streaming platforms, the need to gather in one place to watch a film has faded.

“Now, everything is on the phone,” the caretaker reflected. “Back then, it was different.”

And yet, even in this changing landscape, there is a quiet effort to hold on to remember, and perhaps, to rebuild.

A recent visit by the National Film Authority (NFA), led by its Executive Director, Kafui Danku, has brought renewed attention to these forgotten spaces.

Touring sites including the Orion Cinema, the team encountered scenes that were difficult to ignore.

Describing one such visit as ‘heartbreaking,’ Ms Danku’s words reflected not just the physical state of the buildings, but the emotional weight of what has been lost.

She highlighted the urgency of intervention and the need to preserve these cultural landmarks before they are entirely lost.

She said plans were underway to reclaim and restore some of these cinemas, adding that the vision was to transform them into modern film centres and creative spaces that served today’s generation while preserving yesterday’s legacy.

 “Our goal is clear, to stimulate private investment, expand cinema infrastructure and make film accessible to all Ghanaians,” she said.

Ms Danku described the plans of the NFA as an ambitious goal that carries promise for jobs, creativity and cultural renewal.

By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu