Zanzibar’s First VP echoes the crucial role of film industry towards tourism and national development

Wednesday, July 11, 2012:

Delegates to the Made in Zanzibar Forum held in Zanzibar’s northern resort of La Gemma Dell’Est as part of activities to mark the 15^th edition of Zanzibar International Film Festival were told how arts and culture can play a critical role in reducing unemployment and improving people’s livelihoods.

First Vice President of Zanzibar, Maalim Seif Sharif Hamad said his government was intensifying its campaigns to improve the lives of its peoples and considered filming, arts and culture as an important area for creating new employment, improving livelihoods and profiling Zanzibar as the ultimate destination for filming.

In a speech read on his behalf by Zanzibar Information Minister Said Ali Mbaruk, the First VP encouraged all participants who included film-makers, producers, members of the diplomatic corps, tourism sector investors particularly in the hotel business, financiers, communicators and the media to arrange more engagements so as to explore opportunities for developing Zanzibar into the ultimate filming location in East Africa, Africa and the world at large.

“We fully acknowledge the importance of the film industry and remain fully dedicated to developing it as envisioned in the 1997 policy framework for culture in Zanzibar and the United Republic of Tanzania,” he said.

He reiterated the Government’s commitment to extend further material and financial support to the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) so that it can sustain and improve efforts to position Zanzibar in the international radar as a unique and favorable filming location.

He applauded the ownership of the La Gemma Dell’Est Hotel for developing worthy resorts that enables the depiction of Zanzibar as a great filming location.

He also paid glowing tribute to internationally renowned American film maker from Holly Wood, Mr Mario Van Peebles for finding time to participate in efforts to build the filming industry and economy of Zanzibar. He also applauded the contribution of the other speakers who included; producer Mr Javed Jafferji who highlighted challenges to developing the Zanzibar’s film industry and solutions to address the constraints.

Jafferji said Zanzibar’s rich history was incomparable to none other across Africa and encouraged more investors to see the opportunity so as to ensure high budget films that produce sterling results. He said with a good contribution from industry stakeholders, the dream of creating ZanziWood was not a far-fetched idea but a reality waiting to happen.

 “What we are starting today is the same path that evolved the Nolly Wood, Bolly Wood and the Holly Wood that have become global filming location icons we celebrate today,” he said.

The Director General of Television Zanzibar Mr Omar Chande made a case for the creation of a film commission and a production fund to put together funding for growing the filming industry. He also highlighted areas of shortfall that included low capacity among players to develop strong proposals that could attract funding.

On his part, financial advisor and communications consultant, Mehboob Champsi discussed models of financing creative industries and ways through which film makers could make a strong case to financial institutions to consider them for funding.

He said ZIFF is directly associated with a long history that impacts on many regional countries of the world, ranging from the Britons, Portuguese, Indians, Omani’s who depended on the Monsoon winds for travel on the dhows across the region.

He urged the guests to take time and sample the beauty of Zanzibar that includes immense forestry resources in the Jozani forest which is home to the rarest species of the Red Colobus Monkeys, the spice farms, the historical stone town which is a UNESCO world heritage site, the dolphins in the south, flora and fauna, as well as the cultural tourism villages of Jambiani and Bwejuu, which can only spice up any work of a film maker.

ZIFF Chairman said, Mr Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said the event was just the first in many similar forums that will be held next year to ventilate on the issues affecting the film industry and explore opportunities for growth.

Others attending the meeting included ZIFF CEO, Prof Ikaweba Bunting; Consulates of the Governments of India and Mozambique in Zanzibar, international financial advisors and cultural scholars from Harvard University and Goethe Institute.