News of land allocation for Idris Elba’s proposed film studio in Zanzibar, Tanzania, has been widely circulated over the last 48 hours since an announcement was made at the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) on August 1. Major international media outlets and local platforms have picked up the story, generating buzz.
This land allocation is part of a series of ambitious physical infrastructure projects across Africa announced in the last few years, including various “smart cities,” “digital cities,” studios, etc.
While these initiatives reflect a broader trend of considerable attention paid to Africa’s filmmaking landscape, it’s crucial to consider them critically and realistically, particularly within each country’s context.
As journalists and industry observers, our role is to maintain a balanced perspective, asking probing questions, demonstrating an understanding of the environment, and providing a higher-level view beyond the initial excitement of these kinds of announcements.
These are areas where the international press particularly falls short in their coverage of “Africa.”
At this point, it’s difficult to ascertain whether this announcement really means anything, despite how it’s being reported.
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[Photo: Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan with Idris Elba at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 2023 | PHOTO: Ikulu]