Malawi will be holding its first-ever film festival, with The Film Association of Malawi (FAMA) organising the inaugural Malawi Film Festival on 25 and 26 November in Lilongwe.
It comes as Malawi's first-ever, locally-produced TV series is set to make its debut in January 2023 on M-Net's OneZed TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv and GOtv.
The Malawi Film Festival has a budget of K68 million (R1.14 million) for the southeastern African country's first film festival.
FAMA is partnering with Malawi's National Planning Commission (NPC), MultiChoice Malawi, as well as the country's government departments of tourism, wildlife and culture, to hold the 2-day film showcase at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Malawi's capital.
The Malawi Film Festival's aim is to try and improve the quality and scope of locally-produced TV and film content in Malawi, and to showcase Malawi's culture and stories on screen.
The theme of the first Malawi Film Festival is "Filmmaking for social economic growth and culture preservation".
Besides the showing of short films, the Malawi Film Festival will include a series of training workshops, a short film competition and two "movie nights".
Gift Sukez, FAMA president, says the plan is to turn the Malawi Film Festival into an annual occurrence, as something to help, support and to promote the country's struggling film industry and filmmakers who "are not considered important, are not motivated enough, and end up quitting the industry".
He says Malawi's film industry has the potential to create one million job opportunities, but that much more support is needed. "We are looking forward to more support from the general public as we revolutionise our film industry".
Zena Makunje, MultiChoice Malawi corporate affairs manager, says the pan-African pay-TV operator wants to help promote the country's filmmakers to showcase their short films.
Malawi's first-ever TV series is set to make its debut on M-Net's OneZed TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv and GOtv platforms in the country in January 2023.
Emma Gichonge, MultiChoice Malawi managing director, says "We are committed to ensuring Malawian stories are told and it brings me great joy to have observed such a positively overwhelming response to the call for proposals for the first Malawian comedy or drama series that has been commissioned for the OneZed channel".
