When Malawi’s film industry came of age

The recently ended 2022 has been a satisfying one for the local movie industry as it recorded some progress.

Despite shortage of funds and infrastructure contributing to the country’s poor film production, the industry hosted its first ever film festival which organisers say will take place annually.

Malawi Film Festival

The two-day event hosted from November 25 to 26 at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe showcased local movies.

In an interview, Film Association of Malawi (Fama) president Gift Sukali, popularly known as Sukez, said the festival aimed at exposing Malawi’s culture through films.

He said: “We want to give a boost to the film industry in Malawi as we know that the industry has the capacity to help Malawi grow economically, as well as preserve our culture.”

International guests included Zambian actor Mutale Monde who plays Mr Nguzu in the Zambian soap Mpali.

While commending the efforts of Malawi filmmakers, Monde  urged the government to address some of the challenges the sector is facing.

“The government should consider investing in infrastructure that will facilitate the growth of the industry. There is huge potential in the entertainment industry. If it was well managed, it can contribute in offering job opportunities to many people,” he said.

During the festival’s press briefing in July, National Planning Commission public relations and communications manager Thom Khanje said the festival reflects the aspirations espoused in the Malawi 2063, the country’s long-term development plan.

He said: “The agenda recognises the film industry or the visual arts as one of the events in the industry that can support Malawi’s economic development and wealth creation through job creation, foreign exchange generation and indeed putting Malawi on the map of countries using culture to promote their tourism to grow the economy in the country.”

On the other hand, the event’s good patronage showed that film lovers had been craving to sample Malawian films.

The festival was conducted under the theme ‘Filmmaking for socio-economic growth and cultural preservation’.

Fama Awards

Besides the festival, Fama awarded local producers, directors, actors and actresses for their outstanding contribution to the industry.

These are Fama’s first ever awards since its establishment in 2011. This is a sign that film prints in Malawi are being recognised.

Out of five feature film shortlisted for screening, Ashukile Mwakisulu’s All we have is us won the feature film and best script. For their roles in the movie, Mwai Simbota and Mwakisulu won best actress and actor respectively.

Simbota said she is looking forward to what the future holds.

“It is amazing. This being my first award and it is here at home, that is just a blessing,” she said.

Tsanzo, a short film by Beautus Ble Ble won the Best Short Film Award, Year of our Lord won the Best Soundtrack Award while The Last Roadblock won the Best Cinematography Award. Joyce Chavula, Charles Shemu Joyah and Ezaius Mkandawire were given the achievers award while Fama’s founder Chrispine Viyazi posthumously received a special award.

Malawi films and international brands

Again, in July 2022, MultiChoice Africa acquired a licence to feature three of Malawian filmmaker Charles Shemu Joyah’s movies on its subscription online streaming platform Showmax.

The films, Seasons of a Life, The Last Fishing Boat and The Road to Sunrise,  under Joyah’s First Dawn Arts Company, were acquired on a 24-month non-exclusive deal, according to a statement the company released.

MultiChoice also announced the signing of a distribution agreement with a French company Trace TV, which will act as its international agent for The Last Fishing Boat and The Road to Sunrise.

“It has always been the wish for New Dawn Arts to get an agent for its films since that greatly assists the distribution of films on various platforms and this agreement offers opportunities of acquisition of the films globally,” read the statement in part.

The three films joined two other local films to grace the Showmax platform. These are Fatsani produced by Gift ‘Sukez’ Sukali and Highbrow by Chawezi Munthali.

In August, a set of short films and documentaries produced by Malawian independent filmmaker Philmon Kuipa Phiri were nominated for the 2022 Focus On Ability (FOA) Short Film Festival Competition. The films were Against the Light, Advocacy Lens and Madika’s Entrepreneur among others.

Above all, this shows that filmmakers in the country are doing their best to break the records despite limited resources.