The third edition of the Malawi Film Festival will take place from November 29 to 30 at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe, organers have announced.
The festival’s branding and marketing officer Isaac Misoya said previously, it was difficult for Malawians to participate in such events, but said with the partnerships that the Film Association of Malawi is initiating through the festival, the trend is changing.
“We can see that the interest from individuals and corporates to participate in the festival is growing. This is different from what used to happen in the past. We are trying to create a cinema community where people should patronise movie premieres. We hope this edition will add hype to the film industry,” he said.
Misoya said this year’s edition will feature both international and local film showcases and will happen under the theme ‘Embracing Malawian culture through film’.
He said: “The event will be a place where people can interact and be entertained. This makes the festival special as we embrace Malawi’s culture and explore how we can export our culture,” said Misoya.
Misoya said strides have has made has been made to motivate people at the festival.
He said they will ensure that Malawians accept the film industry as one of the sectors with potential to contribute to the country’s economy.
“As film producers, we are doing all but we can improve our productions. The support towards the industry need to improve too,” said Misoya.
This year’s festival will be conducted in collaboration with partners such as MultiChoice Malawi and Old Mutual.
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda is expected to be guest of honour at the event.
On the other hand,MultiChoice Malawi head of corporate affairs Deborah Matowe-Mzembe said in an interview yesterday they want use the platform to combat harmful effects of piracy which stifle the growth of the creative industry.
“We want to raise awareness about the harmful effects of piracy. Our joint efforts aim to educate the public about the legal consequences of piracy and mobilise the creative community to unite against this threat by advocating for stronger legal protection and foster collaborations,” she said.
Seasoned actress-cum-producer Joyce Mhango-Chavula said film festivals provide a great opportunity to expose local productions and provide a space for networking.
She said: “It is exciting to see the festival back. I am looking forward to seeing new films from Malawi and learn about diverse cultures from the international films.”
society to focus on these artists and public figures and appreciate what they are. It also provides an opportunity for corporates to mingle and promote their products.”
He said as a revolutionary art centric radio station, Story Club FM believes that art is an integral part of development.
