Idris Elba Announces Move To Africa To “Bolster Film Industry”

Idris Elba has major plans for his homeland as he unveils plans to bolster the film industry in Africa.

He already announced that he intends to build a film studio in Tanzania, but his next order of business is to relocate to Africa completely.

“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,” Elba told BBC while attending the Africa Cinema Summit in Accra, Ghana.

The Sierra Leonean-Ghanian actor noted that he plans on living in multiple cities across Africa. “I’m going to live in Accra. I’m going to live in Freetown [the capital of Sierra Leone]. I’m going to live in Zanzibar. I’m going to try and go where they’re telling stories – that’s really important,” Elba explained.

The Beasts Of No Nation star reveled over the possibilities Africa has for filmmakers beyond the stereotypical, trauma-based tropes.

“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,” Elba continued.

The Guardian also reported that Elba is also part of an association developing an “eco city” on Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone.