As the world celebrates International Women\u2019s Day this month, the film and television industry is revealing itself as a powerful arena of gender transformation, and a highly effected vehicle for empowering women. This especially the case in Africa, where women occupy several leadership roles in the industry.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
These roles are pivotal, as they set the tone for the sector at large, influencing the content being created, as well as the attitudes of the young audiences exposed to the material being created by the continent\u2019s next generation of young filmmakers.<\/p>\n
This industry\u2019s transformed leadership is well positioned to accelerate action even further and to continue building a creative industry where women feel free to express themselves and their views of the continent and its culture.<\/p>\n
In the vanguard of this trend is the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) a pan-African network of training institutions training the next generation of African filmmakers. With training academies in Lusaka, Zambia, as well as Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya, the MTF provides fully paid, year-long courses in the fundamentals of film and TV production, with women well represented in every cohort.<\/p>\n
Not only do women make up a high proportion of each year\u2019s class, but they also win accolades in prominent film festivals as well as seeing their works premiering on major content platforms.<\/p>\n
Most recently, Everything Light Touches<\/em> \u2013 co-directed by woman MTF West Africa Academy graduate Elma Baisie \u2013 premiered on the Africa Magic Showcase channel. In East Africa, woman director Lynn Gitau \u2013 an MTV East Africa Academy graduate \u2013 partnered to create Somewhere in Kole<\/em>, which premiered on the Maisha Magic Plus channel.<\/p>\n In every one of the MTF Africa territories, academy directors actively work to empower young woman filmmakers.<\/p>\n We believe in empowering women in the film industry through training, mentorship, and opportunities<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe promote women filmmakers in numbers and in terms of creative support,\u201d says MTF Southern Africa Academy director Chris Puta. \u201cWomen students consistently make up around 50% of our cohort intake. But I believe what is most important is that they are given license to express themselves as writers, directors and producers. This is how women\u2019s voices enter the mainstream.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe in empowering women in the film industry through training, mentorship, and opportunities,\u201d says MTF West Africa Academy Director Atinuke Babatunde. \u201cWe give them all the skills they require to make a statement in the industry. And that is exactly what they are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Proof of this is the recognition MTF women alumni are earning on the film festival circuit. MTF West Africa graduate and producer-director Adeola Andrea Peregrino won first prize at the LEAP Africa USAID Film contest, and second prize at the IOM Film Contest for her film Poached<\/em>, as well as being selected for the Africa International Film Festival, and as a finalist at the Edo State Festival.<\/p>\n \u201cMTF is committed to seeing women pursue careers in film and TV,\u201d says MTF Academy East Director Victoria Goro. \u201cBesides upskilling young women filmmakers, we believe a highly effective way to encourage girls and young women to get into film is to inspire them by seeing great work by young women.\u201d<\/p>\n Shining examples of this inspirational work are the achievements of East Africa MTF graduate Doreen Kilimbe\u2019s film Midnight Bride<\/em>, which won Best East African Film at the Uganda Film Festival, the Audience Award at Zambia\u2019s Sotambe Film Festival, Best International Award at the Kalasha Film and TV Awards, and Best Actress at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.<\/p>\n Also making an impact was MTF Southern Africa Academy alumnus Tekla Nakale, won the best scriptwriting award for the film Ataman<\/em> at the Multichoice Namibia Film Festival.<\/p>\n African women filmmakers are also taking charge of their own destiny in the industry by becoming involved in industry forums and even rising to leadership roles. In Namibia, MTF graduate Esther Beukes was recently appointed as Chairperson of the Board for the Namibia Film Commission.<\/p>\n In Botswana, former MTF student Serena Mmifinyane took time off from her work as a creative director at TV and film company N&M Productions to establish the Women in Film Guild Botswana, which is affiliated with Women in Film & TV International (WIFTI). In 2022, she was voted onto the WIFTI Board of Directors, and in 2023 became secretary of the global organisation.<\/p>\n \u201cI am proud of what I have been able to achieve in the film sector,\u201d said Mmfinyane. \u201cBut the hundreds of other young women who have come through MTF Academies have all made great strides in our industry. Their achievements exemplify the talent and drive of Africa\u2019s women filmmakers, and how training can be a catalyst to accelerate gender empowerment across our continent.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As the world celebrates International Women\u2019s Day this month, the film and television industry is revealing itself as a powerful arena of gender transformation, and a highly effected vehicle for empowering women. This especially the case in Africa, where women occupy several leadership roles in the industry. 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