British actor Idris Elba has revealed his intention to move to Africa within the next decade as part of his commitment to boosting the continent’s growing film industry.
Speaking to the BBC, the 52-year-old star of The Wire shared his plans to build film studios in both Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Accra, Ghana.
Born in London to a Ghanaian mother and a Sierra Leonean father, Elba has a deep connection to Africa and sees the continent as central to his future.
He is determined to use his influence to help Africans tell their own stories through film.
“I would certainly consider settling down here; not even consider, it’s going to happen,” Elba said during an interview at a cinema industry meeting in Accra.
He added that he plans to move to Africa in the next five to ten years to directly contribute to the film industry’s development.
“I won’t be able to do that from overseas. I need to be in-country, on the continent,” he emphasized.
While Elba is committed to living in Africa, he won’t be confined to one place.
“I’m going to live in Accra, I’m going to live in Freetown [Sierra Leone’s capital], I’m going to live in Zanzibar. I’m going to try and go where they’re telling stories—that’s really important,” he explained.
One of his goals is to one day produce a film in his studio in Accra.
Having portrayed Nelson Mandela in the 2013 biopic Long Walk to Freedom, Elba believes it’s crucial for Africans to be at the forefront of filmmaking, not only in acting but in every aspect of the process, including financing, distribution, and marketing.
He envisions a future where global audiences will recognize the unique cultures and stories from across Africa, just as they do with US cities like New York and Los Angeles.
Elba also pointed out that films have the power to reshape perceptions of Africa, challenging the dominant narratives of trauma and conflict.
“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,” he said. “When you come to Africa, you will realise that it’s not true. So, it’s really important that we own those stories—of our tradition, of our culture, of our languages.”
While Nigeria’s Nollywood produces hundreds of films annually, Elba noted that there’s still a need for improved infrastructure.
He referenced a 2022 Unesco report that highlighted challenges such as piracy, inadequate training, and a lack of formal film institutions across the continent.
However, he remains optimistic that with the right investment and government support, Africa’s film industry can thrive.
“We have to invest in our story-telling because when you see me, you see a little version of yourself, and that encourages us,” Elba concluded.
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