Film Lab Zanzibar - Building Capacity in Animation Film in East Africa

Film Lab Zanzibar is a new organization dedicated to developing and professionalizing filmmaking in East Africa. The six countries of The East African Community (EAC), Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan, have varying levels of film professionalism ranging from professional crews in Kenya to a very limited number of filmmakers in South Sudan. However, what characterizes the region through film is the abounding cultural strength based on language and history as well as the desire of its young filmmakers to tell their yet untold stories to the world, in their own ways. That can only happen if the capacity to tell stories is built-up appropriately in the region. East Africa needs creative filmmakers and Film Lab Zanzibar will create a space for them to develop!

The project seeks to expand Film Lab Zanzibar with animated film and stories to build capacities in the East African community and film industry.

The location of the film lab will be Stonetown, Zanzibar, which is the center of Swahili culture, an exponent of multiculturalism often regarded as a legendary destination due to its magic pull. With the establishment of Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) in 1998, Zanzibar became well known for its yearly event exposing film to a national and international audience. The idea of Film Lab Zanzibar, operating year-round, is building on the festival’s reputation and the vision to expand Zanzibar into a cine-magic island. Film Lab Zanzibar will be independent from the festival and work as an incubator for East African filmmakers. The Lab will initiate networking activities across Africa and reach out to the global film environments. Experienced industry-experts from the region and beyond will work with and mentor upcoming professionals and young aspiring filmmakers. The training will be focused on professionalization of all aspects of filmmaking, team incubation and creativity in East African documentary and fiction film.
While there is an existing and growing control of the media in the six countries, resistance culture still evolves, and media and film productions have increasing political impact. The EAC is a social, cultural and economic unit with an integrative regional identity. The Swahili culture and language spoken by over 140 million people, has allowed the region to build a strong interconnected development base that has earned it pride.
The emergent film industry in the region, Bongo Movies in Tanzania, Ugawood in Uganda and Riverwood in Kenya, has grown local capacities to produce and interact with its audience, sustain an industrial output and survive despite all odds. There is still a huge unexplored potential in developing further the requisite human capital to take this industry to the next level – in terms of creativity, quality, diversity and professionalism. More volume in creative documentary and new genres, aesthetics and narrative styles in fiction formats can expand the profile of the East African audio-visual industry and build new audiences. From this base, a regional film environment can grow stronger.
East Africa poses a huge potential as a film producing and marketing entity offering a new voice that will challenge the existing narratives and stereotypes of the region and go beyond narrow national interests. The region, as a unitary actor, is able to stand against the growing influence of international media distribution companies like Netflix, HBO or the import of low-cost Chinese media content. Film Lab Zanzibar will contribute in delivering relevant and enriching content through creative engagement in the development of this regional film identity.
We believe that an East Africa-based training hub will infinitely be the better educational space to stimulate dignity and confidence in East African filmmakers. Film Lab Zanzibar will give high priority to recruiting and motivating female filmmakers to take part in the lab’s training program and ensure that they are not only empowered but take leadership roles in the lab. This is what Film Lab Zanzibar proposes to embark on in the region.
Furthermore, Film Lab Zanzibar will be a relevant response to the 17 global SDGs, the African Union Agenda 2063 and the East African 2050 Vision, which are aspirational articulations of great importance. They all translate into strategies and plans of a shared vision and future for a dignified Africa with global peace and prosperity.

The project sees to establish a modern African platform that works with storytelling through film and animated stories.

Overall objective
The overall objective is to enable East African filmmakers to develop as talents and professionals, capable of producing high quality content, with impact on industry growth, cultural development and social change.

Immediate Objectives
• Create a space for East African filmmakers to stay connected to the world
• Build regional networks between filmmakers in East Africa
• Strengthen professional filmmakers in production and outreach
• Strengthen basic production skills among talented young filmmakers
• Stimulate creativity, diversity and marketability in documentaries, TV fiction and Web series
• Encourage entrepreneurial capacity, income generation and enhance employment at all levels
• Strengthen the use of film as a tool for freedom of speech and social and political change