Film body receives K18m Unesco boost
The Film Association of Malawi (Fama), through the Malawi National Commission for Unesco, has secured funds of about $43 000 (about K17.8 million) for building a viable and sustainable film industry in the country.
The project will be financially supported by International Fund for Cultural Diversity-IFCD. IFCD is a financial arm of the 2005 Unesco Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Malawi ratified the convention in 2010.
One benefit of the ratification is financial support for the activities that implement the convention.
“We are going to use the money for mapping up challenges in the film industry in Malawi. We will come up several papers looking at different aspects of the film sector. Among other things, we will have round table meetings and stakeholder forums as well as a visibility aspect of the project.
“The project will also identify needs and challenges facing the film industry in Malawi, develop strategies that address critical challenges of investment in the industry and provide a platform for networking and sharing ideas regarding the film industry in the country,” affirmed Fama acting president Ezaius Mkandawire, in an interview.
Part of the funds will also be used for the Fama annual general meeting scheduled for April 25 in Lilongwe.
“The AGM will be held at Cosoma offices. Other than that, we should start disbursing the money in May,” explained Mkandawire.
Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture Moses Kunkuyu said the sponsorship indicates that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“The major obstacle in the arts in Malawi is financing. Therefore, the funding will unearth and develop the skill from the grassroots. This will in return see a boost in the promotion of this kind of art,” he said.
The project will be implemented in a period of six months. The National Commission for Unesco will be coordinating while Fama will implement and the Ministry through the Division of Arts and Crafts will monitor the project.
