MultiChoice execs reaffirm commitment to authentic storytelling at 8th Joburg Film Festival: 'Quality doesn't only come from budget'

by Thinus Ferreira

The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) held its MultiChoice Talent Factory Day at 2026's 8th Joburg Film Festival in Johannesburg, where MultiChoice executives reaffirmed that whatever is happening after Canal+'s takeover of the pay-TV company, authentic storytelling and authenticity in on-screen work will always continue to matter immensely.

Held at the Theatre on the Square in Sandton, on stage were the MultiChoice executives Tebogo Matlawa, head of scripted content: middle & mass South Africa; Waldimar Pelser, director of premium channels; Shirley Adonisi, channel director for local entertainment; and Tracy-Ann Van Rooyen, executive head of content strategy.

Tebogo Matlawa said "The question with each show that is pitched is always which local market it will satisfy first".

"Think local, be global. If it doesn't have a market here or in our African territories, it's a no-go. But sometimes you come across a story and you immediately know it can travel."

Shirley Adonisi said "At the core of it is authenticity".

" If our audiences do not identify with the characters or the stories we create, then that is an epic fail on our part. It's not about how much the show costs. It's about how rich the story is and how people connect with it and say, 'that looks like me'."

The panel discussion also explored how the changing media landscape is reshaping the way stories are developed and consumed.

Tracy-Ann van Rooyen said "When you are thinking about content strategy, you can't think about it in isolation".

"You have to believe in your story first and know that it has a market. Scale means opportunity, and for African creators, that opportunity is growing."

Waldimar Pelser noted that the creative direction when commissioning content remains rooted in local insight.

"Commissioning across Africa remains locally led," he said.

"Finding the right stories to back is a team sport, and we rely on storytellers and producers to help us understand our audiences."

"Quality doesn't only come from budget. It comes from the quality of a story, the authenticity of a story, and whether it speaks to somebody specific."

This is the fourth consecutive year that MultiChoice is a partner of the Joburg Film Festival, with MultiChoice Talent Factory alumni who premiered the film Keletso at the festival this week.

The Keletso screening highlighted the growing impact of the film academy and showcased how graduates are moving from training environments into professional filmmaking and bringing their work to major industry platforms.

TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Who knew? MultiChoice Talent Factory class of 2025 had 2 films - Ditaba and Gogo's Heist - on DStv's Mzansi Bioskop in October.

Thinus Ferreira

Two films of the 2024/2025 class of MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) student filmmakers - Ditaba and Gogo's Heist - were shown in October on M-Net's Mzansi Bioskop (DStv 164) channel.

It's already too late to report on both of these since their dates were 19 October and 26 October - which both came and went - but it is still important to highlight these films, as well as what is happening here that is really bad.

On Tuesday, I saw a mention of these films for the first time and since I didn't get any advance communication or even a press release about it, I immediately asked MultiChoice about it to try and track down information.

MultiChoice passed my media query to its one PR company, JR Communications, which sends out press release email blasts to the media on behalf of MultiChoice.

Apparently, a press release was sent out by JR Communications on 17 October, two days before the first film was going to broadcast, but I didn't get it. (JR Communications apparently also doesn't check whether media sent an email blast from MultiChoice actually received it.)

The result is that a PR company, getting paid to communicate, sends out stuff, that media don't get, the media remains none the wiser, MultiChoice thinks there isn't media interest or traction, people like the MultiChoice Talent Factory students don't get the exposure in the press for their work, and the whole cluster-mess wash, rinse and repeats.

This happens All The Time with content marketing and public relations regarding TV shows and content, with various PR companies who literally sends out press blasts on email with no real media liaison or actual media interaction or media liaision taking place. And it's constantly getting worse.

Anyway, the first film was Ditaba, publicised with the very bad bad image above that was sent by JR Communications. 

It's ridiculous that press images are sent out by anyone with logos on them like "Mzansi Magic" and "MultiChoice Talent Factory". Where have you ever seen these in a publication, like a newspaper? 

Media don't run these types of images - i.e. media require a so-called "clean image" - but I'm inserting both these images to illustrate how bad it is, and how (unnecessarily) difficult things are made for media to actually be informed about, get, and then use basic information and visuals to bring attention and exposure to something.

In other words, how are media helped and how is the "friction" or "resistance" lowered as much as possible, to try and get media, like the news media, to engage with something and run a story or a report? 

In this case, again, you want to throw your hands up in the air out of desperation and ask: Why is everything so difficult and made so seemingly impossible? This is not rocket science. 

Back to Ditaba. The MultiChoice Talent Factory Film was described as set inside "the high-pressure world of a national newsroom" that follows "veteran anchor Sizwe, who is pushed aside for a rising star — only to storm the studio on live television in a desperate attempt to reclaim his voice and expose the network’s corruption".

"What unfolds is a tense, emotionally charged standoff where truth, power, and ambition collide."

The Ditaba cast includes Les Made, Gontse Ntshegang, Keneilwe Matidze, and Abulele-Nicky Peterson – an MTF alumna of the class of 2023/24.

The second MultiChoice Talent Factory film, Gogo's Heist was broadcast on the Mzansi Bioskop TV channel on DStv on 26 October.

Laugh again (and cry) but this is what MultiChoice and JR Communications sent out as a visual - the film poster. And nothing else:

Again, the open-ended question: Where exactly in news media do you see this? And if you don't see this, why send this? Are there no film stills, no publicity images (without logos plastered on them)?

The log line for Gogo's Heist reads: "A Soweto-set crime film featuring a group of legendary grandmothers who reunite for one last mission".

"When a beloved granddaughter is kidnapped by a notorious crime boss, these retired struggle heroines dust off their old spy skills – and a few vintage weapons – to pull off a daring rescue."

The cast of Gogo's Heist includes Sannah Mchunu, who also starred in the Mzansi Magic telenovela Gomora and the Showmax youth series Youngins. Also part of the cast are Dieketseng Mnisi, as well as Nomsa Buthelezi-Shezi.

Just my humble opinion but the MultiChoice Talent Factory students really deserve much better than these very bad attempts to try and bring publicity and media exposure to their work. 

Atinuke Babatunde appointed as new West Africa director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory student film academy.

by Thinus Ferreira

Atinuke Babatunde has been appointed as the new MultiChoice Talent Factory West Africa director, replacing Femi Odugbemi who oversaw the West African division of MultiChoice's student film academy between 2018 and 2021.

"Atinuke Babatunde will deploy her wealth of knowledge gained from over 20 years in the media and marketing industry to lead the MultiChoice Talent Factory by ensuring that highly talented creatives are given world-class training at the academy," MultiChoice says in a statement about her appointment.

"Having previously demonstrated vision, innovation and skill in her previous roles as the head of channel for Africa Magic Entertainment (now Africa Magic Showcase) and head of channel for Africa Magic Urban, she is poised to offer her expertise as the academy director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory".

Atinuke Babatunde joined M-Net's Africa Magic division in 2014 as the head of channel for Africa Magic Entertainment that has since morphed into Africa Magic Showcase. 

In 2015, she was appointed head of channel for Africa Magic Urban where she led the team that converted the channel from a movie-only platform on DStv to one that currently provides general entertainment. 

Atinuke Babatunde also led the team that launched the Africa Magic Igbo channel on DStv. In 2018 the Africa Magic Epic channel was added to her portfolio of channels and she managed the content acquisition strategy for the four channels.

With different production teams Atinuke Babatunde placed various formats like Big Brother Naija, Nigerian Idol and The Voice Nigeria on M-Net West Africa's TV channels and was also involved in setting up the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCAs).

Atinuke Babatunde holds an MSc degree from the University of Lagos and an MBA from the Lagos Business School where she graduated with distinctions in marketing, entrepreneurship and strategy, and she also holds a post-graduate certificate in business research and is currently pursuing a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) at the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom.

MultiChoice Africa announces the 60 aspiring filmmaker students from across Africa who will attend its MultiChoice Talent Factory as the Class of 2022 from October.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Africa announced the names of the next 60 students from across sub-Saharan Africa who will be attending its annual film academy course, the MultiChoice Talent Factory for 2022.

Besides the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) run in South Africa, the pay-TV operator also has a MultiChoice Talent Factory programme running for the Rest of Africa (RoA), with 20 students each chosen from Southern Africa (attending in Lusaka, Zambia), East Africa (attending in Nairobi, Kenya), and in West Africa (attending in Lagos, Nigeria).

The 2022-class of the MultiChoice Talent Factory will be the 3rd cohort or class who will attend the 12-month, fully-funded academic programme, starting in October this year.

So far, the MultiChoice Talent Factory has honed the skills of 120 emerging filmmakers, excluding South Africa, from 13 countries across the continent.

The class of 2021 benefitted from an intensive 3-week New York Film Academy (NYFA) online training course that now forms part of the MTF curriculum.

The class of 2022 at the MultiChoice Talent Factory will learn how to produce micro documentaries, public service announcements, television commercials and music videos.

"As Africa's most loved storyteller, our commitment is not only to tell authentic African stories but to also invest in them, that is why some of our alumni are working on M-Net and Showmax productions," says Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice Group CEO for general entertainment & connected video.

"Currently we have alumni in 7 countries working on M-Net and Showmax productions and the list keeps growing. They are helping us to realise the vision of taking African stories to the world with a hyperlocal approach, producing relevant content within the respective regions of our continent, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all strategy."

The MultiChoice Talent Factory's curriculum was tailored alongside MultiChoice Africa partner institutions like the Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, the Kenyatta University in Nairobi, and the University of Zambia in Lusaka, which will respectively award the course qualification once students have successfully completed the film school programme.

Here are the 60 students of the MultiChoice Talent Factory class of 2022:

Southern Africa academy

David Paulo Sapalo (Angola)

Fabiana Alexandra da Barros (Angola)

Larona Dichaba (Botswana)

Refilwe Kathleen Onana Podi (Botswana)

Asante Mbaimbai (Malawi)

Chisomo Kawaga (Malawi)

Nelson Omar Faquirà (Mozambique)

Silvana Pombal (Mozambique)

Jerome Claasen (Namibia)

Jose Carlos Panduleni Amutenya (Namibia)

Lucia Kim Hamunghete (Namibia)

Amos Mwape (Zambia)

Blessings Mainga (Zambia)

Canicius Kabwe (Zambia)

Catherine Zulu (Zambia)

Daniel Lungu (Zambia)

David Senkwe (Zambia)

Victor Lushinjilo Kasanga (Zambia)

Chimwemwe Chipidza (Zimbabwe)

Yvonne F. Feresu (Zimbabwe)

East Africa academy

Kalkidan Fessehaye (Ethiopia)

Nahusenay Dereje (Ethiopia)

Ritha Saxon (Tanzania)

Christopher Masalu (Tanzania)

Raimon Sanga (Tanzania)

Kenneth Msanjila (Tanzania)

Doreen Kilimbe (Tanzania)

Audrey Egesa (Kenya)

Bruno Tanya (Kenya)

Cesylia Oketch (Kenya)

Clerick Werimo (Kenya)

Desmond Okeyo (Kenya)

Josh Artkins (Kenya)

Mary Njoroge (Kenya)

Patrick Odongo (Kenya)

Yvonne Wambua (Kenya)

Nassanga Ann (Uganda)

Justine Nabunya (Uganda)

Phillip Sentamu (Uganda)

Tusabe Ivan (Uganda)

West Africa academy

Andrea  Peregrino (Nigeria)

Abimbola Akinrinbola (Nigeria)

Ayo Lawson (Nigeria)

Emmanuella Bakare (Nigeria)

Doris Nwoye (Nigeria)

Favour Eniayekan (Nigeria)

Ibrahim Mamman (Nigeria)

Murewa Ayodele (Nigeria)

Oluwatoyosi Fowode (Nigeria)

Omowonuola Giwa (Nigeria)

Plangnan Amtu (Nigeria)

Samuel Ishola (Nigeria)

Temitope Mariam Odo (Nigeria)

Teniola Oyelumade (Nigeria)

Wapah Kelechi Ezeigwe (Nigeria)

Tosin Alabi (Nigeria)

Alice Johnson (Ghana)

Emmanuel Horla Nuvor (Ghana)

Kwame Addae (Ghana)

Nubuke Amoah (Ghana)

Despite Covid-19 the pan-African class of 2020 at the MultiChoice Talent Factory film academy graduates with MTF and New York Film Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (NYFA) qualifications.

by Thinus Ferreira

The class of 2020's film students from across Africa who attended the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) - the second class to finish the course since the MTF started - graduated on Tuesday after their academic and practical year was extended by a further 6 months because of difficulties due to the global Covid-19 pandemic that also impacted the African continent.

While MultiChoice South Africa runs a MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) hub for its film academy in South Africa, MultiChoice Africa runs three similar hubs across Africa in West, Southern and East Africa in Lagos, Nigeria; Lusaka, Zambia; as well as in Nairobi in Kenya.

"2020 was undoubtedly tough due to Covid-19, but the ability for all the 60 students from the Lusaka, Nairobi and Lagos academy hubs to quickly adapt and transition from physical to virtual learning speaks to the world-class nature of the academy’s course," says Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice Group CEO of general entertainment and connected Services.

"The MultiChoice Talent Factory is very close to my heart. It speaks to who we are as Africans - natural-born storytellers."

"We are here to celebrate the second cohort who were dealt a heavy blow by the Covid-19 pandemic but the challenge seems to have brought on even greater opportunities," says Yolisa Phahle.

"This is a proud moment for everyone involved in ensuring that the students became graduates," says Yolisa Phahle.

"It’s also been fulfilling to see just how in-tune this next generation of African storytellers are with the importance of being multi-skilled and intuitive creatives. All this would not have been possible without the collaboration and commitment of our fantastic partners."

While the students' academic course was extended from 12 month to 18 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the interruptions and changes it forced, the additional time meant that the students are getting not one but two qualifications.

As they enter their respective local film and TV sectors across Africa as qualified industry professionals, alongside their MultiChoice Talent Factory qualification, the students also received a qualification from the New York Film Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (NYFA).

The students completed an intensive 3-week online NYFA course on the production of micro-documentaries, public service announcements (PSAs), as well as music videos, and also worked with the United Nations on the global #PledgeToPause campaign.

The MultiChoice Talent Factory continues to work partner with the NYFA, the Henley Business School Africa, the Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria, the Kenyatta University in Kenya, as well as the University of Zambia in Zambia. 

The MultiChoice Talent Factory also works with international organisations and companies like Dolby, Jasco Broadcast Solutions and Nihilent.

The top performing students from each of the regions also received an 8-week NYFA scholarship. In the class of 2020 these scholarships have been awarded to Abisola Aboaba (Nigeria), Daisy Masembe (Uganda) and Maira Tauacale (Mozambique).

An 8-week scriptwriting internship on an animation series from global consulting and solutions integration company Nihilent Technologies have been awarded to Julie Ako (Nigeria), Kefa Igilo (Tanzania) and Hilma Sheehama (Namibia).  

Jasco Broadcast Solutions will provide one AVID media composer licence to the most promising film video editor per region. 

The recipients are Gbenga Gomes (Nigeria), Isiko Abubaker (Uganda) and Abel Ngoma (Zambia). The AVID Pro Tools license for the most-promising sound engineer per region was awarded to Igho Arusi Avuirovarie (Nigeria), Maurice Muendo (Kenya) and Reijhaart Wolhuter (Namibia). 

MultiChoice's platforms will be giving students the opportunity to work on M-Net local productions.

Each winner will take part in a 4-week internship on M-Net productions equipping them with the skills they need to tell authentic and original African stories and these students are Joshua Tsotso (Nigeria), Hanigun Kwenya (Kenya) and Masuzyo Mwale (Zambia).

MultiChoice's MultiChoice Talent Factory film internship programme in Africa partners with the New York Film Academy to help train emerging filmmakers.

In a big step forward for upskilling Africa's young and emerging filmmaking talent, MultiChoice's recently-launched MultiChoice Talent Factory film academy has partnered with the New York Film Academy (NYFA) that will help with training and opportunities for students as part of a groundbreaking collaboration.

While M-Net runs the M-Net Magic in Motion Academy film academy programme in South Africa, MultiChoice extended it into the rest of Africa in 2018 with the MultiChoice Talent Factory running three film school internship programmes in Zambia for Southern Africa, Kenya for East Africa and in Nigeria for West Africa.

MultiChoice says that the endorsement of the MultiChoice Talent Factory by the New York Film Academy confirms the film school's continued efforts to empowering and developing filmmakers.

"This groundbreaking collaboration speaks to our commitment to partnering with industry experts such as the New York Film Academy to promote and protect the growth of Africa’s creative industries,” says Cheryl Uys-Allie, MultiChoice Talent Factory director.

"Our East Africa academy director, Njoki Muhoho is a NYFA alumni, having studied filmmaking at the Los Angeles campus and we’re excited to be collaborating with the New York Film Academy in being able to offer incredible opportunities to our students and the sector as a whole."

Jim Miller, New York Film Academy vice president, says "The New York Film Academy is honored to be a part of the enrichment, development, and fostering of storytellers across Africa, a continent steeped in a rich history of dynamic, creative and passionate visual and performing artists".

"Over the years, NYFA has been privileged to have hosted hundreds of students from dozens of African nations, many who have found outstanding success in their national industries when they returned home."

"This MTF and NYFA collaboration is a natural extension of our commitment to help bolster the skills of talented African storytellers."