The Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) Chief Executive Officer Dr Ezekiel Mutua is advocating for collaborations among African countries in order to propel the film industry for socio-economic development.
Dr Mutua observed that the power of film is big enough to melt some of the challenges facing the African continent.
In his keynote address during the opening of the 2019 Nigerian International Film and TV Summit (NIFS) in Lagos on Tuesday, he said Africa's film industry offers enormous opportunities that can drive the continent to socio-economic growth.
He advocated for the harmonization of policies governing the film industry in the continent.
“If collaborations in the film industry are to succeed, like-minded industry players in the continent will have to push for harmonization of regulation and how it governs distribution of content,” he said.
On the same note, the CEO reiterated the need of using the African film industry to tell the African story as opposed to having it told by foreigners.
He observed that some foreign film directors have for ages created stereotypes that have become defining factors of the way Africa is depicted in film.
At the same time, Dr Mutua noted that the creative industry is the next frontier for job creation in Africa, as the white collar jobs space continues to narrow down.
“The creative Industry is among the largest contributors of income to the global economy. Africa should position itself to rise to the level of the best by taking advantage of the digital age,” he said.