We are pleased to share that The Marc Bolan School of Music has recently completed a documentary film on water and sanitation, which will be available for viewing soon. There are currently ongoing discussions regarding its distribution, with plans for an awareness campaign focusing on film screenings, poster production, and TV and radio broadcasts. (May 2022)

We have identified several film festivals through which we hope to distribute Di Kombra Di Krai (Cry of a Mother) to wider audiences, one of which is the Sierra Leone International Film Festival. Future View Media Centre has also agreed a deal with AYV to broadcast the film on DSTV, a digital subscription channel that covers many parts of Africa and is available worldwide online. The film has also been shown as part of a screening to students in Port Loko, with another few screenings scheduled to follow soon. (May 2022)

The pilot school screening programme in Kasungu has been successfully completed for The Kasungu Film Collective’s Covid-19 schoolgirls documentary. Alfred Mtapaonga, our local distribution manager, submitted a detailed plan and budget to extend the school screenings further, including in the programme for our short film on Albinism, which is now underway. As part of this programme, Alfred will be encouraging the schools to identify actions they might take in response to issues raised in the films. Actions proposed will be assessed through subsequent visits to selected schools. This is a small step, but one we hope to build upon in the future. Even just one instance of a school taking action in response to the film could prove massively helpful to the community. (May 2022)

Progress continues with regards to the feature film on Albinism, with training in planning and script writing ongoing with demonstrations provided by our Director of Film Training and Production, Rick Elgood. Rick is also visiting Kasungu, Malawi this month to meet the team in person for the first time and support the team in the planning and production of the short film ‘Beyond Sight’, which highlights the struggles of the visually impaired in Malawi. Whilst there, Rick will be providing hands-on tuition in the whole production and postproduction process, which will include training in sound production and mixing. We are excited to share Rick’s updates with you here and across our social channels. (May 2022)

We have recently delivered a pilot community-based screening programme in and around Kasungu through Uhuru Child Care, a local NGO focused on meeting the needs of children with cerebral palsy and supporting their families. Following training in its use, a mobile screening kit was loaned to Uhuru Child Care to continue the screening programme under their own steam. They have since completed a further two screenings and continue to make use of the film in their outreach activities. You can view Chosadziwika here. (May 2022)

Our training group at Chorus Box in Kenya has completed their first module, which delivers a training programme to a group of youths and provides a creative space for young people.
The group has been established by Peter Bwire, a young Kenyan filmmaker who is currently using his skills to support youth engagement in community development activities in and around Kitale, Kenya.
The next step for Peter and the group is to start outlining possible options for a short dramatic film that focuses on key issues in the local community. Watch this space! (May 2022)

Coming soon.