POPULAR GERMAN TV SERIE “TRAUM SCHIFF”FILMS EPISODES IN TANZANIA.

Some of the German film actors and actresses in discussion as shooting of the film is in progress in the West Kilimanjaro nearby Arusha National Park

 By: Geofrey Tengeneza

A German filming company called  PolyPhone Crew  accompanied by actors and actresses from Germany are in the country to film a renown German TV serie called "Traum Schiff" shown on a German TV channel namely ZDF which  is very popular in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, attracting more than 17 million viewers.

The team jet in Dar on November 9^th and will be in Tanzania for a filming mission of 21 days until November 30^th. . The lead actor in the serie which is being filmed in Tanzania is called Hardy Kruger Jr., son of famous actor Hardy Kruger who along with a very prominent US actor  John Wayne acted in the world famous "Hatari " film which was filmed  in Tanzania’s Arusha National Park.

The episodes which are being filmed in Tanzania will among other things feature some of Tanzania's leading tourist icons: Mt Kilimanjaro, Serengeti and Arusha National Park and is scheduled to start being aired in March 2017. So far the team has done most of their shooting at Shu’mata Lodge, located in West Kilimanjaro. They are also expected to visit and shoot in Zanzibar.

Speaking in West Kilimanjaro when she recently met the crew and film actors and actresses, the Managing Director of Tanzania Tourist Board Ms. Devoda Mdachi noted that the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) applauds the filming company for considering Tanzania as a proper and excellent location to shoot the film.  “We really acknowledge Polyphone Filming Company for choosing Tanzania as their filming location for this film. We believe that through this film many prospective tourists from Germany, Switzerland and Austria will be enticed to come to visit Tanzania's tourist attractions’ she noted.

Film actors and actresses and the PolyPhone crew from Germany pose for group photo with the Managing Director of Tanzania Tourist Board Ms. Devota Mdachi (in red dress) at Shi’mata lodge in West Kilimanjaro. The man in safari attire with cowboy hat (second left to Ms. Mdachi) is Mr. Hardy Kruger Jr, son of Hardy Kruger who starred the popular “Hatari” film.

Mdachi further said that the filming will also create more awareness to international film producers that Tanzania is a destination which has perfect locations for filming opportunities. She added that the filming industry brings in thousands of opportunities to destinations, including generating revenue, creating employment opportunities and compliment in the efforts to promote the destination.

Apart from Tanzania Tourist Board a number of Tanzania tourism stakeholders were involved in making the crew visit a success, this includes the Embassy of Tanzania to Germany, The Germany embassy in Dar-es-salaam, The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and Marlies and Jorg Gabriel of Hatari Lodge Arusha. Others are The African Embassy Ltd, Tanzania National Parks, Abercrombie& Kent, Coastal Aviation, The Cultural Heritage Arusha and The Enduimet Wildlife Management Area (WMA).