Kees Kasander, one of Europe’s most prolific film producers will be on a fact-finding mission to Kenya come June. He will be scouting locations for a major feature film he has in pre-production, and he will also be exploring Kenya as a filming destination more generally. Kasander will be travelling with co-producer and long time friend Charles Liburd, who has executed several projects in Kenya.
Kasander’s latest project is a €5 million fantasy feature film. He will be visiting locations where some of the scenes from the film could be shot. Kenya is famous for its locations, boasting a wide range of geographical zones, competent film crews and great climate.
It is notable that the flow of international films looking to shoot in Kenya has dried up since the heyday of 2005 which saw high profile projects like The Constant Gardener, Transit and The White Masaai.
This is in a large part explained by the introduction of the South African Film and Television Production and Co-production Incentive, which provides tax rebates to international productions. Introduced in 2004, this has led to several films opting to work in South Africa as opposed to Kenya. The recent blockbuster film Inception featured a number of scenes that were set in Mombasa, but were filmed in Morocco.
It is clear that Kenya is missing out on significant opportunities in international film. Kasander himself will be shooting most of his film in South Africa.
The second agenda on Kasander’s trip is therefore to consult with leaders in government and in the private sector, to see how Kenya can improve its competitive edge in the global film industry.
Kasander is the winner of 4 Golden Calf awards and in 2010 he won an Outstanding British Film Award at BAFTA for the film Fish Tank. He has produced over 100 films in an illustrious career in film and television.
In the rapidly changing world of international film, Kasander and Liburd are very well connected and a seeking ways to make official co-productions viable in Kenya.
No comments:
Post a Comment