Ten years ago, she stood at a crossroads, not just as a filmmaker fresh off an award-winning project, but as a woman who saw a gap and decided to fill it. “How is it that we are going to film festivals, everywhere, but not in Ghana,” she recalled. Back then, Ghana had no film festival, and many African filmmakers had little understanding of how to market or distribute their work.

That need became the seed of the Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF), now Ghana’s largest and most impactful film festival. Born from both necessity and conviction, BSIFF was created to give filmmakers, especially Africans, the tools, exposure, and confidence to sustain their craft. “We wanted to teach people how to market and distribute their films. It was about awakening to the importance of film festivals,” said Juliet.

The first edition of BSIFF brought together filmmakers from 14 African countries, supported by partners like the Goethe Institut. For many participants, it was their first time at a festival. That experience sparked a ripple effect: attendees went on to start their own festivals and build local film communities. 

Over the years, BSIFF has become more than a screening platform, “giving opportunities to first-time filmmakers, volunteers, women, and those who need a door to open,” Juliet said. It’s a movement advocating for policy reform, education, and sustainable creative economies. Juliet worked tirelessly behind the scenes, collaborating with key industry stakeholders to advocate for the establishment of a national film office in Ghana.

When the government was ready to act, recognizing her dedication and leadership, it not only announced the creation of the film office on the platform of the Black Star International Film Festival but also entrusted Juliet with the task of setting it up. She went on to become the first CEO of the National Film Authority, building the institution from the ground up. In this role, she worked closely with the Ghanaian government and the Authority to establish a vibrant national film office. During her time as the CEO, Juliet also pioneered the Africa Cinema Summit, which has been a premiere gathering for cinema stakeholders on the African continent. Building on that momentum, Ghana has embraced the “Black Star Experience” as a name for diverse creative fields, an identity inspired by the festival’s name. “People now see it as their own,” Juliet said. 

Juliet, who is also a Fellow of the African Leadership Initiative – West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, shared that her values of resilience and leadership align deeply with the Institute’s. For Juliet, the Fellowship is a reminder that leadership is service and that creating impact often means carrying things on your shoulders until others can help you lift them. That determination is one of the values that the AGLN community shares, which defined the festival’s early years. “Everybody expected us to fail,” Asante said. But she pushed forward with the belief that “if we win, we win, and if we don’t, we’ll fail trying our very best.”

What began as Juliet Asante’s personal quest has become a defining chapter in Africa’s journey to tell its own story. BSIFF stands as a legacy of Juliet Asante’s vision and the Aspen Global Leadership Network’s influence. Her leadership has built a lasting platform for creativity, education, and empowerment, showing how film can unite, inspire, and drive meaningful change.

We caught up with Juliet at the 2025 Resnick Aspen Action Forum to learn more about her leadership journey and her belief in the transformative power of storytelling through film. Passionate about amplifying Black representation on screen, Juliet is dedicated to visually telling stories that bridge the global film community with African narratives. With Africa projected to be home to 40% of the world’s youth population, she envisions the film industry not only as a powerful medium for cultural connection but also as a catalyst for youth employment and one of the continent’s most dynamic economic sectors. 

About the Aspen Global Leadership Network

The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) is a dynamic, worldwide community of nearly 4,000 entrepreneurial leaders from over 60 countries. Spanning business, government, and the nonprofit sector, these leaders share a commitment to enlightened leadership and the drive to tackle the most pressing challenges of our times. Through transformative Fellowship programs and  gatherings like the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, AGLN Fellows have the unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and challenge each other to grow and commit to a lifelong journey of impact.

More from 2025 Resnick Aspen Action Forum

In July 2025, over 500 leaders across the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) community gathered for our largest Action Forum to date. Joined by nearly 100 young leaders, AGLN Fellows from more than 30 countries returned to the enduring questions first posed at at the founding of the Aspen Institute 75 years go: What does it mean to lead with purpose in times of profound uncertainty?

Explore more inspiring content on leadership and change-making from the 2025 Action Forum here.