Tanzania: National Parks Now Open for Film Shooting

Arusha — LOCAL artists, especially film actors, producers and music video shooters who for ages have been relying on hiring posh mansions to use as their site locations, need to seek better backgrounds.

The Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), which is the custodian of all the country’s wildlife and National parks, therefore feel it is high time local films and videos get shot within Game and National Parks, to give them a more authentic Tanzanian feel, other than imitating synthetic material things such as modern houses, cars and expensive mobile phone handsets.

The advice was issued by the TANAPA Public Relations Manager, Paschal Shelutete, during a special Sports and Arts Bonanza, which was organized by Artists Association of Arusha. He was representing the Director General of Tanzania National Parks, Allan Kijazi. The bonanza was held at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium.

“Your films and music videos will sound more believable, interesting and may even attract overseas audience,” pointed out Shelutete.

For years, local artists and film makers have been imitating Nigerian movies in shooting their features inside large mansions, surrounded by limousines and expensive gadgets in a sense of self denial, ignoring some of the attractive landscapes and natural features that Tanzania has in plenty including the 16 national parks, 20 game reserves, natural forests, rivers and mountains.

On his part, Chairman of the Arusha Artists Association, Fredrick Kefas, thanked TANAPA for throwing the park gates open to local artists, promising that changes will soon be noticed as local films start featuring attractive natural settings, wildlife and tourists sites.

“It will also enable local artists play a role in promoting the local tourism industry and sites as well as assisting in educating the mass regarding various locations that are of geographical and historical values,” stated Kefas.

The Chairman of Tanzania Film Federation (TAFF), Simon Mwakifwamba, said his federation was planning to host a Grand National film festival to be held in October this year, with the Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, expected to grace the event, which is likely to be staged in Dar Es Salaam.

“The National Film Festival 2016 will be officially flagged off on April 18 but the climax event is set for October 2016,” said Mwakifwamba, adding that the festival will bring into Tanzania many artists from Africa and around the globe.