Filming in East Africa

East Africa has not been left out in the industry of filming. With its vast landscapes and wildlife sanctuaries in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, East Africa is being marketed worldwide as a filming site. Many films are being shot in the east African coast, on the mountains- Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro and the Mt. Elgon. Sanctuaries and game parks dominate the Hollywood movie maker’s diaries yearly with several films being shot in Kenya and Northern Tanzania game parks.

In the recent years, Kenya and by extension, Africa has become a favorite location for Hollywood and Nigerian Nollywood movie makers to visit and shoot films. Numerous feature films, comedies and documentaries have been produced here. Some of these have won international acclaim. In the list are:
White Maasai ,The Constant Gardener, Tomb Raider, The Cradle of life, To walk with Lions, Nowhere in Africa, The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin, Sheena, Queen of jungle, Ode and Equator.

Some which have been partly shot in Kenya are:

Survivor, Mission Kilimanjaro for Canada and The Great Savannah Race for France.

“The Constant Gardener" was shot on a location at Loiyangalani, Turkana and Kibera in Nairobi, with scenes from Lake Magadi. It has won over 18 awards and 40 Nominations. Among the awards are 'the best supporting actress in the Golden Globe and Academy Awards of 2005 for -Rachel Weiss and Best Editing in the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards. The director of this film-Fernando Meirelles lobbied to have it shot in Kenya than in South Africa as that was its first choice.

The producer of 2003 Oscar-award winner, "Nowhere in Africa", Mr. Peter Hermann, changed his mind and decided not to shoot it in south Africa then he came to Kenya for this film making after he saw "I Dreamed Africa" .This film was shot in northern Kenya in the Pokot land among the Pokot tribes people.

"Nowhere in Africa" was shot in Baringo, Bogoria and Mount Kenya. This film is ranked the best foreign film in 2003. It became the second flick shot in Kenya to win the coveted global awards, after "Out of Africa" bagged the best Picture category in 1985.

"Tomb Raider 2" which stars Angelina Jolie was partly filmed at Hells Gate National Park and Amboseli National Park, home of the African's largest elephant herds. It is here that Disney drew its inspiration for many of the scenes in the film" The Lion King”.