Idris Elba – “I’m going to live in Accra.”

British actor Idris Elba has announced his plans to relocate to Africa within the next decade to support the continent’s movie industry. 

The 52-year-old star of the hit series “The Wire” is involved in projects to establish a film studio on the Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar and in the Ghanaian capital, Accra. 

Elba, who was born in London and has roots in Ghana and Sierra Leone, has a strong connection to Africa.

He wants to leverage his star power to back its burgeoning film business as he says it is vital that Africans get to tell their own stories.

“I would certainly consider settling down here; not even consider, it’s going to happen,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of an industry meeting in Accra.

“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.”

But in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, he will not commit to living in a specific 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.”

One goal he does have is to make a film in his studio in Accra one day.

“Own those stories”

Idris Elba, who portrayed South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela in the 2013 biopic Long Walk to Freedom, believes it is essential for Africans to be at the forefront of the entire filmmaking process.

This includes being in front of the camera, behind the camera, and also involved in financing, distribution, marketing, and showcasing the final product.

He envisions that just as movie audiences around the world are familiar with the differences between US cities like New York and Los Angeles without necessarily visiting them, there will come a time when they will have a more nuanced understanding of the African continent.

“This sector is a soft power, not just across Ghana but across 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 and 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, of the differences between one language and another. The world doesn’t know that.”

Nigeria’s Nollywood produces hundreds of movies every year, making films one of the country’s most successful exports. Additionally, certain parts of Francophone Africa have a tradition of creating high-quality films.

 Elba has previously acknowledged the talent present in Africa’s film industry but has noted that the facilities are lacking.

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