Dargie strikes gold as M-net snaps up 13 local movies

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Thursday October 21, 2010 00:00

Local television personality Joel Keitumele, aka Ntsoro, stars in nine of the productions acquired by M-net.The show of confidence in Botswana movie productions by M-net comes at a time when the local production houses such as DDS, had failed to impress Botswana Television (Btv) as none of their movies has ever made it on Btv programmes.

Dargie yesterday described the deal as lucrative although he would not state the figures. However, he told Mmegi that he is also happy that through the same deal his company will henceforth collaborate with a South African company Khaya Courtier, an M-net agency, for the production of movies for the pan African channel.  Dargie says through the arrangement movies will be shot both in South Africa and Botswana. The movies acquired by the pan African channel include Ntsoro le Toki (three movies); O bone o ja Sereto (four movies); Kgang tsa boswa (two movies); Chobolo (three movies); and Sepoko (a comedy horror). O bone o ja Sereto has already started airing on Dstv's Mzanzi channel, dedicated to showcasing movies in South African languages, which also include Setswana. 'The made in Botswana' movie has been playing repeatedly on the channel since it started airing, and Dargie says he is happily surprised at the reception the movie has received from South African viewers.

'The repetition of the movie goes to show that the movie is a hit with most fans, and they want to see more and more of it', said an elated Dargie in a phone interview yesterday.

Dargie also added that viewers will soon see another version of O bone o ja sereto and other productions, with English subtitles.

Dargie says the movies made it to M-net agents after laying their hands on pirated copies in the streets of Johannesburg. They later phoned the Gaborone office, only to learn that the company has loads of movies to sell to interested television channels. Dargie says the M-net agents could not believe the quality of the movies produced in Botswana as well as the story lines and immediately big rewarding contracts were signed. Dargie says he is satisfied with the deal as it does not bar his company from selling or distributing the movies. In the last five years another Botswana production starring Mike Klinck, Flat 101 was also aired on one of the DSTV channels.