Idris Elba urges African filmmakers to expand their distribution channels outside Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Idris Elba urges African filmmakers to expand their distribution channels outside Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Idris Elba, a British actor and producer, has encouraged African filmmakers to explore outside of well-known streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and to diversify their distribution methods.
While these platforms are excellent for promoting African content internationally, the Beast of No Nation actor admitted that real success comes from developing local infrastructure and capacity.
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Idris Elba, who is passionate about boosting Africa’s cinema industry, spoke at this year’s Africa Cinema Summit (ACS), which opened in Accra on Monday, October 7. He expressed his desire for a strong business that can support itself and has a distribution network apart from Western platforms.
African cinema has an unending lifespan. We must discuss how to expand the industry as well as distribution. For example, the film industry in Ghana is expanding, and we have witnessed amazing tales and inventive abilities, in addition to the tremendous success of tourism.
“We need to succeed in our African developing market. We must first succeed on our own terms if we hope to appeal to the global market. “Most American blockbuster films open in theatres before they do so in other countries,”
According to him, increasing awareness via improved distribution networks, and infrastructure, and linking filmmakers with viewers across the continent and beyond is crucial.
“We are responsible for distributing the future. First, we need to pack the theatres with our people.
Thus, it’s crucial to occasionally turn your attention domestically rather than abroad. In addition, we must produce films that match the caliber of work produced elsewhere. Since everyone must follow the democratization of equipment, there is no justification because everyone can film with high-quality cameras and mics.
“We must be dedicated to excellence, which necessitates education or mutual education and the raising of standards,” he continued.
It is impossible to express how dedicated Idris Elba is to African cinema. Elba is developing indigenous talent and investing in the creative potential of the continent through his production firms, IE7, and The Akuna Group.
He said that in order to make their stories recognisable and captivating to a worldwide audience, African storytellers need to strike a balance between authenticity and international appeal.
“Keep in mind that we need to tell stories that are recognizable to the global market in order to get everyone to pay attention to them when we tell them.
As of today, October 10, 2024, the second ACS has officially closed. It opened on Monday, October 7.
Continuing on the success of its first edition this past year, the 2024 ACS has broadened its focus, bringing together global film enthusiasts and industry experts to discuss cutting-edge approaches to the continent’s cinematic development.
On Wednesday, October 9, a Legacy Awards ceremony was held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra to celebrate notable individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to the expansion and advancement of the African film industry.
