Idris Elba has been granted a plot of land in Zanzibar to establish a film studio.
According to the BBC, the British actor and DJ has received approval to contribute to Africa’s film industry growth in the Tanzanian archipelago in East Africa.
At the Zanzibar International Film Festival, Zanzibar’s investment minister Shariff Ali Shariff mentioned that the studio could rival those in Hollywood, Nollywood, or Bollywood, potentially becoming known as Zollywood.
Elba, who hails from East London and has ancestral ties to Sierra Leone and Ghana, has previously expressed his interest in supporting the development of the film industry in Africa.
The BBC quotes Zanzibar president’s spokesperson saying: “If successful, the project will help 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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