Exclusive: Idris Elba has agreed to play the lead role in the National Film Authority of Ghana’s second annual Africa Cinema Summit, which will take place in Accra from October 7 to 10.
Elba, a Golden Globe winner and chairman of the IE7 and The Akuna Group, is joined on the front row by Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, and Fiona Lamptey, a former Netflix executive and co-founder of Juno Studios. For the complete list of speakers, scroll below.
Executives from the African diaspora and representatives of investment organizations like Afreximbank and IFC are expected to participate, in addition to representatives from African nations like Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Angola.
“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,” Elba said in a statement to Deadline this afternoon. “So, I am thrilled to be part of this year’s Africa Cinema Submit where the focus will be on how Africans, on the continent and in the diaspora, can propel the cinema and content ecosystem to new heights and bring global awareness to our rich, dynamic, youthful and vibrant Africa.”
In association with Nile Media Entertainment Group and Silverbird Cinemas, National Film Authority executives Tim Yaw Struthers, Moses Babatope, and Funmi Onuma are in charge of organizing the Africa Cinema Summit. At the first summit, held last year, officials from twenty African nations participated in a conversation centered on the exploration and customization of cinematic prospects to fit the distinctive features of each region on the continent. The area industry benefited strategically from the gathering in a number of ways. President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana promised to support the Ghanaian film industry by approving a tax benefit for motion pictures. A few months later, the 20% tax refund credit was formally passed.
Africa Cinema Summit list of Speakers :
- King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, king of the Ga Traditional Area in southern Ghana.
- Hon. Sandrine Umutoni, Minister of State for Youth and Arts of the Republic of Rwanda.
- H.E. Dr. Onyekachi Macaulay O. Kalu, Chairman, African Union Sixth Region.
- Moses Babatope, Founder and CEO of Nile Media Entertainment Group.
- Funmi Onuma, Country Manager, Silverbird Cinemas, Ghana.
- H.E. Prof. Hugh K. Aryee, Vanuatu’s Trade Commissioner to Ghana.
- Kunle Afolayan, Film Producer/Director.
- Ope Ajayi, CEO of CINEMAX and President of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria.
- Patrick Lee, Head of Operations, at Viva Cinemas Nigeria.
- Akaninyene Macauley, Executive Director of Sky Film Distribution.
- Omoni Oboli, Nigerian actress, scriptwriter, director and producer.
- Joy Efe Odiete, CEO of Blue Pictures Entertainment.
- Aminata Diop-Johnson, The African Pavilion.