Idris Elba to Headline Africa Cinema Summit in Accra

Hollywood actor and Golden Globe winner, Idris Elba, has been announced as the headliner for the second annual Africa Cinema Summit, organized by the National Film Authority. The event is scheduled to take place from October 7 to 10 in Accra, Ghana. Elba will be joined by Fiona Lamptey, co-founder of Juno Studios and a former Netflix executive, along with Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture.

The summit will be held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra and focuses on “The Relevance of Cinema in African Communities.” Discussions will revolve around the increasing production and consumption of local content, advocating for investments in cinema, and reimagining cinema experiences for Africa’s underserved lower-income audiences.

A diverse group of representatives from countries including Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Angola are expected to attend. Additionally, executives from across the African diaspora and representatives from investment bodies such as Afreximbank and the International Finance Corporation will be present.

Addressing the significance of African storytelling, Idris Elba remarked, “Africa has been at the forefront of communication and storytelling for centuries, but sadly this innovation and the complex stories originating on the continent have been largely unnoticed.” He expressed his excitement to be part of the summit, focusing on how Africans can elevate the cinema and content ecosystem globally.

The Africa Cinema Summit is organized by key National Film Authority executives, including Tim Yaw Struthers, Moses Babatope, and Funmi Onuma, in collaboration with Nile Media Entertainment Group and Silverbird Cinemas. The inaugural summit last year was notable for its strategic gains, such as Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo‘s approval of a 20% film tax rebate for the local film industry.

Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, CEO of the National Film Authority of Ghana, emphasized collaboration as essential for growth. “The only way to grow local content and increase the cinema offerings on the African continent is to work together,” she stated, reinforcing the potential for market growth in cinema on the continent.