Hollywood star Idris Elba on contributions to African cinema in Ghana
A1 Digital India News: When Idris Elba arrived in the hall of the Africa Film Summit in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, he made it clear that the Golden Globe-winning British actor was not the only guest.
Idris Elba, who has starred in Africa-focused films such as "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" and "Beasts of No Nation," both filmed in Ghana, has long been vocal about his deep ties to the continent.
Born and raised in London to a Sierra Leonean father and Ghanaian mother, the television and silver screen star was on the continent at the continent's premier film industry event as a passionate advocate for the future of African cinema.
Elba, who has starred in Africa-focused films such as "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" and "Beasts of No Nation," both filmed in Ghana, has long been vocal about his deep ties to the continent.
At this year's summit, which brought together industry stakeholders, Elba took on the role of ambassador for the importance of African stories and the best way to tell them to the world.
According to Ghana's National Film Authority, the African continent has the world's youngest population but only 1,700 cinemas, while the United States has about 44,000 and China has 75,500 cinemas.
Elba's belief in the untapped potential of African cinema is evident in his speech. For him, the key is to raise the profile through better infrastructure, distribution channels and connecting filmmakers to audiences on the continent and globally.
"We need people in our seats," Elba said. "The future depends on us...on our own distribution. We have to fill the cinemas with our own people." This focus on Africa first sets Elba's approach apart from other industry giants who often focus solely on international recognition.
Elba said he wants African cinema to do as well at home as it does abroad. Compare that to Hollywood, where success is measured in domestic box office numbers and international sales.
It has already taken steps to invest in the continent's creative industry, nurturing African talent through production companies IE7 and The Akuna Group.
While others might see challenges in funding, education or infrastructure as a barrier to progress, Alba says he is optimistic - "looking forward to the opportunities."
"A lot of young filmmakers are making films on their phones," he told AFP, enthusiastically describing the innovative, grassroots approaches emerging from young people in Africa.
"But we still need to promote films. We still need distribution methods." He argued that African filmmakers should not rely solely on global streaming giants such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
While acknowledging the importance of these platforms in showcasing African content to international audiences, he emphasised that real success lies in building local capacity and infrastructure.
He said he wants a strong African film ecosystem that can be sustained by distribution pipelines independent of Western platforms.
"We want to enter international markets," he said. "But we also need to reach African markets." Elba stressed the need for African filmmakers to take responsibility for their own creative destiny.
"Just do it," he advised aspiring filmmakers. "The barrier between making your film and dreaming of it is now very low." Driven by his love of storytelling, Elba developed an early passion for acting as a child in London, and held various jobs to pursue his craft.
His breakthrough came with the role of drug smuggler Russell "Stringer" Bell in the critically acclaimed American series "The Wire," and he later solidified his star power with the British crime series "Luther," which earned him a Golden Globe.
Over the years, Elba's versatile filmography, which ranges from Hollywood blockbusters to indie projects, has made him one of the most respected and influential actors on the world stage.
And as one of the most notable actors of African heritage in Hollywood, he says he feels a responsibility to ensure that African stories reach the widest audience possible.
But as the lights dimmed at this year's Africa Film Summit, the vision Elba painted was not just of an award or accolade, but of a thriving film industry that is deeply connected with African audiences in the Connects as well as attracting viewers from around the world.