16 October 2019 -- MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) is proud to introduce two original feature films, Savannah Skies and The Painting, produced entirely by the MTF Academy’s Class of 2018. The two films will broadcast on DStv’s Zambezi Magic (channel 162) - a hyper-local channel that offers a mix of locally-produced content for six markets in Southern Africa. The Painting will air on 18 October 2019 at 21h25 whilst Savannah Skies is set to broadcast on 25 October 2019 at 21h00. Both films were filmed on location in Zambia.
MTF Academy Director – Southern Region, Berry Lwandoexpressed his delight at the opportunity for the 20 young creatives to launch their feature films on DStv: “The inaugural MTF Class of 2018 is thrilled to tell two authentic African stories developed and produced by these young creatives. 20 young students from seven different countries and vastly different backgrounds created these films as a collective. I am incredibly proud to see these young filmmakers’ names on the credit roll!”
About the two films:
The Painting is a horror film conceptualised and written by Nikita Mokgwareand directed by Emanuel Goncalves.The storyline involves a pregnant abstract painter who lives with her husband and son. The painter is struggling to sell her work due to them not being ‘African’ enough. One morning, she discovers a painting in her house of a woman in full traditional Bemba attire with all the cultural trappings. This feature film stars award-winning actor Leo Simukoko, actress and poet Chitalu Kaibele, Barbara Mwaramidze and Sweddy Mwansaalongside a number of budding Zambian actors.
Savannah Skies is a romantic drama film conceptualized and written by Ludmila Mero and Muchemwa Sinkala. It is directed by Joshua Kafumukache It is set around a young woman, who after being left with little to no choice, in an attempt to save her father, is forced into a marriage. She must navigate her way in a new household, defying her conniving mother-in-law as she pursues her education and learns of an unconfessed love that has been with her all along. Well-known faces such as famous former Kabanana actress Phenny Walubitawho plays the main antagonist role will be seen on screen as well as Angela Nachilongoand a number of new faces.
Regional Director for MultiChoice’s Southern Region, Nyiko Shiburi expressed the company’s pride in showcasing films that demonstrate the success of its investment in the creative industry. “When we launched this MTF initiative, our vision and goal was to deliver shared value where both the business and society benefits from our investment. Bearing witnessing the result of this initiative through exciting local content that has been produced by these budding film professionals for our platforms, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. We look forward to more content created through this initiative that ignites Africa’s creative industry.”
For more information, please visit www.multichoicetalentfactory.comand www.dstv.com.
About the MultiChoice Talent Factory:
The African continent is steeped in a rich and diverse history of living passionately through language, art, music, and colourful storytelling. As the continent continues to change rapidly, the entertainment industry has become ever more relevant. MultiChoice Africa has identified an opportunity in this fast-changing environment—one that will have a lasting impact on the industry as a whole. The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) is a multi-tiered training programme (Academies, Masterclasses & Portal) designed by MultiChoice Africa to focus on positively impacting the technical and professional value chain in the film and television industry across the continent. As a business born and bred in Africa, we have a long-term commitment to making a socioeconomic difference in the countries in which we operate. As such, this initiative helps to play a positive role in growing Africa’s creative industries. MTF is a shared-value initiative that provides a platform for the creative industries to develop their talent and engage with one another through their shared passions. Through the MTF Academies (every year, the academies select 60 talented individuals from across 13 countries to participate in a 12-month academic and practical immersion programme including both theory and hands-on experience in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling) we are building a pipeline of good local content for our channels whilst the Masterclasses focus on developing technical skills of established creatives in cinematography, audio and storytelling to improve the quality of local productions and are conducted by leading African and international industry experts. The MTF Portal is the golden thread that brings talent and opportunities together on one platform. It is a Pan-African, film and television digital marketplace that offers open, cost-free access to film creatives across the continent to showcase their talent, access opportunities, stay up to date with industry news and expand their industry network. Through this initiative, MultiChoice Africa’s demonstrates its commitment to enriching lives by developing the art of inspired local storytelling and story making, while simultaneously growing a legacy of local content on our DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms and ultimately continue showcasing Africa’s rich cultural heritage and diversity. More information available on www.multichoicetalentfactory.com