Gaborone, Botswana. 16 February 2024 – A fresh cohort of 20 enthusiastic young filmmakers has begun an exciting year of film and television training at the MultiChoice Talent Factory Southern Africa Academy in Lusaka.
The MTF Southern Africa Academy is one of three on the continent, where students spend 12 months gaining skills in screenwriting, editing, producing and directing – through study, and practical experience on TV and film productions. The fully funded curriculum includes workshops, lectures, masterclasses and assignments.
MTF students learn alongside industry greats and seasoned professionals from across the globe. The final stage of the course sees students developing feature films for broadcast on MultiChoice local channels and Showmax. The most recent MTF Academy cohort also enjoyed an intensive online training course with the New York Film Academy (NYFA).
In Southern Africa, the MTF Academy curriculum is created with MultiChoice Africa partner institution, the University of Zambia, which confers the course qualifications upon completion of the academy programme.
Since its inception in 2018, MultiChoice Botswana has sent 8 students in total to experience the MTF Academy in Southern africa, with all 8 graduating and returning home to Botswana to embark on their careers in filmmaking. Graduates Lorato Orapeleng, Masego Mohwasa, Serena Mmifinyana, Nikita Mokgware, Refilwe Podi, Larona Dichaba, Khumiso Rebabedi and Babedi Kelesitse have all began their journey of igniting the local creative industry in their own unique ways.
Today, Orapeleng and Mohwasa are behind local production houses, MediaWrap Africa and 27 Pictures, respectively, while Mmifinyana and Mokgware combined forces to establish N&M Productions; a production company which has worked on content for UPICtv and DStv.
In 2024, MultiChoice Botswana is proud to announce that Daniel Ramasu and Goitsemang Chalumbila, graduates of AWIL College (formerly AFDA Botswana) as the MTF Academy Class of 2024 cohorts from Botswana. “I am extremely grateful and excited to be a part of the MTF Academy [Class of 2024],” says Chalumbila. “This rare opportunity will serve great purpose in advancing my filmmaking skills as well as creating doors for more opportunities.”
This year’s students were chosen after a rigorous six-week selection process of interviews and adjudication by local Motswana film and television expert, Johnson Otlaadisa, as well as the Regional Academy Director, Christopher Puta, and MultiChoice Botswana Leadership.
“We are beyond ecstatic for the two young aspiring filmmakers who are about to join the MTF Academy this year,” says Stephanie Pillay, MD of MultiChoice Botswana. “It has been a true marvel to see how much our students change from the day they leave for the Academy to the day they return to Botswana. To see the amount of growth and confidence that they gain in just 12 months is testament to what the programme is all about.”
The training that the MTF Academy provides is geared to broadening the skillsets of aspirant filmmakers, and to empowering them to work in various creative disciplines – not only the film industry. An MTF survey has found that around 92% of MTF Academy graduates go on to work in the creative sector.
Last year, the MTF Academy Southern Africa graduated a talented cohort of passionate and skilled young creatives, many of whom joined local productions with the Zambia National Film Commission (ZNFC), as well as pan-African film and televisions productions including Salem, Tempted, Engaito, Mvamizi, Mum vs Wife, Makofi and County 49.
