Some film producers wanted to end my dreams – Yvonne Nelson

Ghanaian actress and producer Yvonne Nelson has shared her struggles in the film industry. She revealed that the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) tried to sabotage her career.

Yvonne's outspoken nature led to her being banned by FIPAG. She discussed this on The Career Trail program on JoyNews and Joy Learning TV.

“I was banned by a group of men in the industry called FIPAG,” she said. “Something happened on set, and they got together against me. When you are a vocal woman, people don’t like it. They think you should stay quiet.”

She continued, “They felt I complained too much about my unhappiness.”

Yvonne believes they wanted to intimidate her and silence her dreams as a young woman in the industry.

After the ban, Yvonne started her own production company, ‘YN Productions’. She received support from people like Kelvin Kobiri, who is now in ministry.

“I decided I could produce my own movies,” she explained. “I registered a company and began producing films.”

Kelvin funded her first two or three movies, along with another supporter named Abdul Salam.

Despite her determination, Yvonne faced significant sabotage. One major incident involved armed robbers stealing her first production during editing.

“The first production got stolen after editing,” she recalled. “Robbers took all the drives from the editor’s studio. We lost everything we had shot.”

She believed this was sabotage because of her previous ban from FIPAG. “I felt there was a lot of hate in the industry,” she stated.

Undeterred, Yvonne and her team reshot the entire production at great cost. Thanks to her resilience, she has produced 14 movies so far.

These include titles like Kotoka and Heels and Sneakers. She also mentioned an upcoming movie titled Summer will be released soon.

Reflecting on her journey, Yvonne admitted it has been challenging. “I have been through a lot as an actor and producer,” she said.

“I have experienced hate but also greatness in this toxic place.” She added that only strong individuals can survive in such an environment.

Last week marked the release of The Career Trail New Edition's fourth episode about Yvonne's early life. This Saturday at 4 PM on Joy Learning TV, viewers can catch part two focusing on her journey as a school owner and author.

The episode will also air at 6 PM on Joy News. Stay tuned!