Nick Broomfield Calls For East Africa’s First Cinema

The world renowned Documentary Filmmaker Nick Broomfield has called for East Africa’s first cinema to be refurbished and turned into a fully functioning venue ahead of his visit to the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) 18th-26th June.

The Director known for such films as Biggie&Tupac (2002) and The Battle For Haiditha (2009) lent his support to a proposal for ZIFF to re-open The Majestic Cinema in conjunction with the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA).

Zanzibaris have been without a permanent cinema since ‘Cine Afrique’ was recently closed and converted into a supermarket. ZIFF have drawn up the proposals and are looking for support locally and internationally to begin the development of a permanent cinema and cultural centre that would bring the power of cinema back to the people Zanzibar.

“The campaign to re-open the Majestic is a way of affirming ones belief in Zanzibar and Stone town – there will be big events where we will need a cinema, we can have an audience, we can have a film society. It's an investment and a statement for the future, which is very healthy.” said Nick Broomfield.

The proposal put forward by the ZIFF Board of Directors, who have been in discussions with SUZA, envisage the redevelopment of the derelict Majestic site into a 200 seat minimum, multipurpose venue with space for corporate events, seminars and workshops along with a café.“Even though there is no roof on the cinema at the moment, locals often set up a projector of their own and show things even if it rains on their heads.” Broomfield remarks “They are doing it because it's a place where they can all get together for a shared experience and have a chat about it afterwards. Cinemas can be very much part of a neighbourhood and part of the community.”

Broomfield is coming to the Festival where he’ll be giving a workshop before arriving in Mwanza, Tanzania, where he is shooting a film adaptation of the novel The Catastrophist with Co-Producers Donall McCusker (The Hurt Locker) and Paul Miller (Prozac Nation).

“I spent quite a lot of time visiting different countries to find locations and really felt that Mwanza had the best location. I've gotten great co-operation from the Tanzanian military and of course from the President and the Mayor and town council in Mwanza,”he said.