British sensational actor, Idris Elba, has revealed plans to relocate to Africa to contribute significantly to the development of the African film industry.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Cinema Summit in Accra, the touted actor indicated that he aims to help make African films that are not defined by colonialism but to own stories of African tradition, culture, and languages.
Elba previously announced plans to build a film studio in Tanzania to develop the African film-making industry which would require him to relocate.
He stressed his relocation stating that: “It’s going to happen. I think [I’ll move] in the next five, 10 years, God willing. I’m here to bolster the film industry – that is a 10-year process – I won’t be able to do that from overseas. I need to be in-country, on the continent.”
“I’m going to live in Accra, I’m going to live in [Sierra Leone capital] Freetown, I’m going to live in Zanzibar. I’m going to try and go where they’re telling stories – that’s really important,” he added.
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Born in London to a Sierra Leonean father and a Ghanaian mother, the actor is zealous about the outlook for the African film industry.
“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 and when you come to Africa, you will realise that it’s not true,” he told the BBC.
“So, 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.”
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Elba, stars in hit TV shows and films including, “Luther and The Wire”, “Beasts of No Nation’, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”, “Beast”, among others.
