FILM is one of the artistry that conveys messages quickly as it has a great chance to educate society due to the content that has been produced in it. Tanzania’s film industry, which is officially known as Swahili Wood or Bongo movie a portmanteau of Swahili, was established around 2001.
On the implementation of the efforts done by the actors, actresses and producers in developing Tanzanian films at the global level, some films are now being shown on Netflix.
On January 7th, 2021, a Tanzanian film known as ‘Binti’ directed by Seko Shamte and co-produced by Black Unicorn Studio coowned by the two sisters, Alinda and Angela Ruhinda, was the first Tanzanian film which was streamed on Netflix. As it was the Tanzanian film to be streamed on Netflix, Angela Ruhinda, coproducer of the film from the Black Unicorn studio, excitedly tweeted that “Binti was streamed and it will be streaming globally on Netflix.
The first Tanzanian film to do so! Produced by Black Unicorn Studios and directed by Seko Shamte from Tanzania to the world”. The then, Ministry for Information, Culture, Arts and Sport introduced new regulations and operational costs to the film industry.
The regulations aimed at declaring the reduction of filming permit fees to help actors and filmmakers produce high-quality movies.
According to new regulations that were being constructed the filmmakers will pay only Sh50, 000 ($21) to get a filming permit instead of Sh500, 000 ($215) so as they make movies attractive enough to grab audience attention and generate business.
The government overseeing the film industry has the potential in creating employment opportunities while simultaneously boosting Tanzania’s brand and Kiswahili language.
The film industry can be used to achieve national economic development progress. In 2019, Tanzania passed a bill that demands local and foreign film companies share their raw footage with the government and allow it to use the video to promote the country.
Aiming at producing domestic content in the film industry, the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) organised two-day training accompanied by various arts stakeholders that aimed to discuss how to improve the Tanzania Film Industry by producing the best domestic local content in the country.
One of the arts stakeholders found in the country is Arts Institutes. They aim to provide education on how to produce domestic content in the film industry as well as in traditional music and dance.
The art institutes are the Bagamoyo Arts and Cultural Institute (TASUBA), the University of Dar es Salaam, the University of Dodoma and others. Cadre colleges of higher education are not primarily the focus of arts only, but through their departments work to prepare producers and distributors of domestic content.
At Dodoma University, there is a department of Arts and Information sciences that does this particular work. Tanzania Communications Authority (TCRA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports aims to support the actors, actresses, and producers in producing the best local content considering the African culture.
It will help them to create employment opportunities as well as develop the Kiswahili language at the global level. In addition, TCRA and the Ministry of Culture, Arts and sports aim to invest more in TV shows.
For instance, the ‘Jua kali’ TV show which aired on Maisha Magic Bongo, featured the Ghanaian actor and director, Joseph Vicker, was featured in the show and reached the global level.
Apart from Jua kali, other popular Tv shows are Huba, Pazia, Chini ya Carpet, Hatia, Yalaiti, and many more. During the occasion, the Tanzania Film Board, Executive Secretary, Kiagho Kilonzo added the domestic content has grown by 60 per cent.
The Executive Secretary stated the government aims to set a good environment for the industry including preparing the awards to film stakeholders has also contributed significantly to the growth of local content.
Whereby for the year 2021, the Board gave 30 awards distributed to various stakeholders involved in the film industry. In the creation of a good environment for the film stakeholders, in the year 2020/2021 about 550 stakeholders benefited from the training. The provision of the training helped to improve them to work effectively.
Moreover, he stressed that in the production of films; there has been an increase in feature films (Dramas) whereby currently the situation makes the audience to be more interested in seeing such stories. Due to the increase in competition of works in the film industry for foreign countries, Kilonzo added that the producers should increase the speed in producing better quality films compared to the ones abroad.
“Investment in the film industry has increased the production of quality films and has brought competition to the foreign market; therefore we should invest more in producing quality films in the country,” he added.
On another hand, Kilonzo elaborated that having quality films; there are necessary things to consider including the equipment used in the preparation, such as the camera and creative content and storytelling.
Furthermore, he said that the producers, actresses and actors, should embrace African traditions as well as consider ethics and the proper use of the ‘Kiswahili’ language when producing domestic content in the film industry.
Kilonzo has also called on the arts stakeholders to provide enough training in script writing, directing, photography, and film editing as well as setting up a three-year plan that will prepare a team of local film production experts in different areas based on domestic film content.
The government aims to develop the culture, arts and sports sector as recently, Tanzania in collaboration with Turkey have agreed in building strong cooperation aiming at developing the country’s film industry.
The cooperation that will continue to be built by the two countries has also intensified efforts on providing training to the Tanzanian actors and actresses as well as sharing experience on how to improve film production by creating a good environment that will help them to do their artistic work.
The Ministry’s official Instagram account showed that the Minister for Culture, Arts and Sports, Mohamed Mchengerwa, who was in Turkey to support the National Amputee Football team, Tembo Warriors in their World Cup 2022 campaign, also paid a visit to areas where Turkish movies; The Dirilis Ertugrul and Kurulus Osman (the Ottoman) were being manufactured.
The docket minister said they met with Mehmet who is the organiser as well as the producers who were involved in scene creation. After meeting with the actors and the actress, the ministry also captured knowledge from the Turkish on the experience they use so as to improve the Tanzanian film Industry.
“It was a great pleasure to visit the big studio and be able to see the environment where the Erturgul and Kurulus Osman films are being produced,’’ he added The Minister said the actors and actresses inside the country will get the chance to participate in films made in Turkey and Turkish will also come to Tanzania to join in Tanzanian films that are been produced currently.