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TITANIC star Billy Zane coming to Zambia

This follows a meeting held between Zane and Zambian First Lady Thandiwe Banda who is in the USA on a programme that includes engagements with government, business and civic leaders, and university and health authorities.

Zane, who stars as Cal Hockley in the popular movie Titanic, was approached to help promote Zambian tourism and the national tree-planting programme.

In a meeting held at Beverly Hilton Hotel and attended by Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Catherine Namugala and Association of Zambians in California president Mwelwa Mulenga, the First Lady said there was need to market Zambia to the world as it was an ideal destination for tourism and investment.

She said Zane, who has just released a new movie, Deep End of ABC, would also be the perfect champion of Zambia%u2019s eco-friendly tree-planting programme because of his affinity to environmental issues.

Zane is interested in making a movie depicting Scottish explorer David Livingstone who is recorded as the first European to see and publicise the Victoria Falls.

He explained that it would be important to find initial support from Zambian companies willing to get involved in the project which would be the first of its kind by a globally renowned film star.

In Titanic, Zane plays Hockley, the insufferable, snobbish and vindictive fiancé of Kate Winslow character.

And Ms. Namugala said Zambia had what it takes for a viable film industry and that the Government had shown its political will by giving a tax waiver on the importation of equipment intended to promote the industry.