EAST AFRICA'S TINSELTOWN BOASTS ITS OWN NARRATIVE

It's no secret that, along with South Africa and Nigeria, Kenya is right up there as one of the biggest producers of content in Africa's - entertainment and media landscape.

- Chanel Retief

As stated in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2023-2027 report, Kenya's entertainment industry (including cinema, OTT, TV etc) revenue grew 9.8% in 2022 and is worth over $2 billion.

"I would say the film space in Kenya has really grown. Even if you look at TV, we have a lot of different shows," says Kenyan actor Sarah Hassan.

"Looking at what there is, is a testament to the growth of the industry... We still have a long way to go, but we are moving in the right direction." This is especially true with the continued reinforcement of local post-production facilities and expanding financing. However, the sustainability of the film industry requires the formation of local ecosystems rather than relying on external support.

According to Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji, factors such as limited infrastructure, low government support at times, and limited exposure to the global film world, is what has prevented the rise of the industry in East Africa.