The government of Zanzibar has given a plot of land to Idris Elba so he can open a film studio.
Zanzibar is a popular tourist destination recognized for its stunning white beaches, and the presence of a top-notch film studio might potentially boost visitor numbers.
The 51-year-old Golden Globe winner mentioned his intentions to construct a movie studio in Ghana last year.
“We’re calling it West African Studios for now, but that’s just a working name.”
In February 2023, the actor told Ghanaian media:
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“We’ve been working on this for three or four years to raise a plan that puts a facility at the center of African filmmaking.”
According to The BBC, the UK DJ and actor has been granted the go-ahead to contribute to the growth of the continent’s film industry in the East African country of Tanzania with a studio that might resemble any in Hollywood.
The President of Zanzibar’s spokeswoman is quoted by the BBC as saying that “the project will help not only Tanzania but also Eastern and Central Africa” if it is effective.
The investment minister of Zanzibar, Shariff Ali Shariff, also is said to have stated:
“The studio would be comparable to any in “Hollywood, Nollywood, or Bollywood and would give rise to ‘Zollywood’.”
Speaking to business leaders at the Zanzibar International Film Festival on Thursday, Shariff Ali Shariff quipped, “I’m not sure how we will call it in Zanzibar, whether Zollywood or Zawood.”
In January 2023, Idris Elba and the President of Zanzibar discussed the studio during the World Economic Forum held in Switzerland.
Elba, who was born in East London has family ties to Ghana and Sierra Leone. The actor has aspirations to construct an environmentally sustainable “smart city” in Sierra Leone, the country of his father’s origin, in addition to working to improve the continent’s film industry. Elba and his boyhood friend intend to restore an island off the coast of the West African nation.
