American subscription streaming service and production company Netflix will assist in producing three films in Kenya and invest Sh33 million ($284,719.05) in actor training in the country.
According to the US streaming service, the three productions will be unveiled later, closer to their premiere dates on the site. Thanks to the sponsor’s support, Kenyan students will be able to study cinema and television-related courses at local colleges and universities worldwide.
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According to Business Daily, the revelations are part of a memorandum of understanding between Netflix and Kenya’s ICT ministry to develop skill capacity and help the local film sector.
“Netflix is excited about Kenya’s next generation of innovative storytellers,” said Dorothy Ghettuba, Netflix’s Director of Series in Africa. “We believe there are great stories in Kenya, and we want to help Kenya’s creative community by supporting the development of the local film and television industry and talent pipelines, both in front of and behind the camera, through partnership initiatives,” she added.
“We also hope that the stories will include topics unique to Kenya and our worldwide audiences would find interesting,” Ghettuba added.
More on Netflix Investment in Africa
Netflix stated in March that it would invest $62 million in South African film production and would begin broadcasting more South African material and projects on the streaming platform, which presently has more than 200 million customers from 190 countries.
In the first quarter of 2022, Netflix reported a startling loss of 200,000 subscribers. As a result, the massive streaming service provider has resorted to providing a lower plan that would allow adverts on the site, which is surprising given that it had previously rejected the concept.
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The US streaming service also stated that it would no longer allow password sharing on the platform to raise subscriber numbers. By investing in Africa, Netflix intends to expand its consumer base.
“We welcome this relationship with Netflix because Kenya has many tales to tell the world, and all of the activities with the various partners will assist us in ensuring we have the potential to generate excellent stories,” said ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru.