Idris Elba is ready to make Africa his new home. The British actor, known for his roles in Luther and Beasts of No Nation, plans to move to the continent within the next decade.
His mission? To build state-of-the-art film studios in Ghana and Tanzania. He aims to develop Africa’s growing film industry.
IDRIS ELBA’S BIG MOVE
Idris Elba revealed his dedication to this project, according to Los Angeles Times.
“I’m here to bolster the film industry — that is a 10-year process,” he said. “I won’t be able to do that from overseas. I need to be in-country, on the continent.”
For the Thor star, it’s a deeply personal project. Elba’s father hailed from Sierra Leone, and his mother is Ghanaian.
IDRIS ELBA’S VISION
He plans to build his studios in Accra, Ghana’s capital, and Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago.
He even hinted at moving between multiple locations. “I’ll bounce around different locales — Accra in Ghana, Freetown in Sierra Leone, Zanzibar in Tanzania.
I want to go where they’re telling stories.”
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
Elba has already laid the groundwork. In August 2024, Tanzanian officials allocated a 200-acre plot of land in Zanzibar for his studio project.
The actor calls it ‘West African Studios’ and promises it will match the standard of Hollywood, Nollywood, and Bollywood productions.
The Tanzanian government is excited. “We could see the rise of ‘Zollywood’,” said investment minister Shariff Ali Shariff. He was referring to a potential film industry boom in the country.
IDRIS ELBA AND AFRICAN FILMMAKERS
Elba spoke about this during a press event in Ghana in early 2023, according to Daily Mail.
He highlighted the lack of proper facilities and infrastructure for African filmmakers.
“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,” Elba said. He emphasised the continent’s untapped potential.
GROWTH IN AFRICAN CINEMA
Despite the growth in African film production — Nigerian cinema alone produces around 2,500 films each year — the industry faces challenges.
According to a 2022 UNESCO report, piracy, inadequate training, and a lack of proper film institutions hinder the sector’s true potential.
Elba sees his project as a solution. He wants to give African filmmakers the resources they need to tell their own stories.
IDRIS ELBA AND THE WORLD VIEWS OF AFRICA
Elba’s motivation goes beyond just infrastructure. He aims to change the way the world views Africa.
“If you watch any film or anything that has got to do with Africa, all you’re going to see is trauma, how we were slaves, how we were colonised, how it’s just war,” Elba said.
“And when you come to Africa, you will realise that it’s not true.”
OWNING OUR STORIES
He is determined to highlight the rich traditions, languages, and cultures across the continent, according to Bella Naija.
“It’s really important that we own those stories of our tradition, of our culture, of our languages, of the differences between one language and another. The world doesn’t know that.”
ECO-CITY
Aside from film, Elba also dreams of creating an eco-city in Sierra Leone, where his father was born.
The project, led by his childhood friend Siaka Stevens, aims to bring wind-powered electricity to the region.
“It’s a dream, you know, but I work in the make-believe business,” Elba quipped. Idris Elba is not just building studios, he’s reshaping Africa’s narrative, one project at a time.
DO YOU AGREE THAT AFRICAN STORIES HAVE BEEN MISREPRESENTED IN WESTERN MEDIA?
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