Covid-19 forces filmmakers to embrace short movies
Seasoned actress-cum filmmaker Flora Suya has teamed up with fellow acting sensation Brenda Mselu on a short film series project called Who Is Wrong?
The co-producers said the project is a response to the strain that the coronavirus has brought on the local film industry. Due to the pandemic, it is impossible for film producers to operate on a full-scale production budget.
The short film project, being done in partnership with HD Plus Creations, is centred on the love theme as it depicts different scenarios that are tenable in love relationships while offering varied lessons. She said the series are independent of each other as there is no continuity in the storylines.
Suya said the episodes, which are five minutes long minimum and eight minutes long maximum, will have different titles though all will be under the overriding theme of love.
She said: “We are discussing issues to do with relationships where people are forced to make decisions according to the situations they are going through.”
She said after every episode, viewers will be left to answer the question as to who is wrong? The series will be aired through YouTube and the first episode is expected to be debuted in October but they may take the episodes on TV in future.
In a separate interview, Mselu said filming of the first five episodes has been completed and the content is in its post-production stage.
Mselu said: “We felt we needed to do more to expose our talents and create a platform for up-and-coming actors to showcase their talents while entertaining film lovers during this time of Covid-19 pandemic.”
HD Plus director Gift Sukez Sukali is responsible for videography with a cast of 10 people, including actress Dipo Katimba, Ben Sam, musician Ennoh Mwana Wa Igwe, Ignatius Kaphinde, lawyer Trouble Kalua, Mselu and Suya who is also the director.
The short film project has so far operated on a K1.5 million budget which has been self-financed.
Mselu is an award-winning actress who has featured in four major local movies so far including No More Tears, Lilongwe, Nyasaland and Submerged, a film she wrote and produced.
Suya is also a renowned actress having starred in over 10 local movies including The Last Fishing Boat, Seasons of a Life, Dear Pen Pal, My Mother’s Story, among others. She is also the force behind the series Spouses and Workmates on Times Television.
