Popular and acclaimed actor and rapper Idris Elba will build a state-of-the-art film studio in Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago. To launch the ‘Zollywood’ film studio he has been allocated 80 hectares of land.
The Hollywood actor and rapper Elba promises to elevate Africa’s growing cinema industry to new heights. The picturesque Tanzanian island’s Minister of Investment – Shariff Ali Shariff made the major announcement during the recent Zanzibar International Film Festival, touting the potential of the project to compete with global powerhouses like Hollywood, Nollywood and Bollywood.
Idris Elba has his family roots in Sierra Leone and Ghana who has long championed developing the African filmmaking through providing production infrastructure and platforms.
This is the latest endeavour in Zanzibar that comes as the actor pursues similar plans to build West African Studios in Ghana. “I’m completely dedicated to using my platform in order to foster movie magic on the continent,” Elba said.
He mentioned that the Tanzanian leadership offered him strong endorsements. “If possibly gets successful, the project will benefit not only our country but also all of the eastern and the central Africa,” remarked a Zanzibar presidency spokesperson.
The British actor, who has his roots in Sierra Leone and Ghana, has previously also raised voice of his ambitions to develop Africa’s expanding film industry.
Roughly after a year-and-a-half, after discussing his plans with Tanzanian President – Samia Suluhu Hassan and the authorities in the East African nation have given Elba the green light, to build the studio.
The studio would be similar to any, the ones residing in “Hollywood, Nollywood or Bollywood” and may give rise to “Zollywood”.
Zanzibar International Film Festival was observed recently on Thursday, where Shariff Ali Shariff joked as he addressed industry figures and said “I’m not sure how we will call it in Zanzibar, whether Zollywood or Zawood.”
President Samia also spoke with Elba, best known for his roles in Luther and the Wire, about the studio in January 2023 at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.
Following the discussions, the president’s spokesperson said “if successful, the project will help not only Tanzania but also eastern and central Africa.”
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region off the coast of Tanzania and is a tourism hotspot, well known for its striking white beaches.
Notably, a report of 2022 from UNESCO backs Elba’s statement. It states that the UN’s cultural agency, despite “significant growth in production”, industries across the content were hindered by issues such as piracy, insubstantial training opportunities and a lack of official film institutions.
Elba not only hopes to strengthen Africa’s film ecosystem but he also has dreams of building an eco-friendly “smart city” in his father’s birthplace, Sierra Leone.
Elba and his childhood friend are planning to regenerate an island off the West African country’s coast.