Hollywood star Idris Elba has been given land in Zanzibar, Tanzania, to establish a film studio.
The British actor has long expressed his desire to contribute to Africa’s film industry. 18 months after discussing his vision with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, Elba received the go-ahead from Tanzanian authorities.
The studio is expected to rival those in Hollywood, Nollywood, and Bollywood, “I’m not sure how we will call it in Zanzibar, whether Zollywood or Zawood,” joked Shariff Ali Shariff while addressing industry figures at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.
Following their talks, the president’s spokesperson highlighted that “If successful, the project will benefit not only Tanzania but also Eastern and Central Africa.”
In February 2023, Elba spoke of plans to build a film studio in Ghana: “Currently, we call it West African Studios, but that’s a working title. We’ve been working on this for three or four years to raise a plan that puts a facility at the centre of African filmmaking.”
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