Lusaka MultiChoice Talent Factory Graduates 100th Student

The Southern Africa MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy in Lusaka has reached a major milestone, celebrating the graduation of its 100th student after five years of operation. The MTF Academy, known for its industry-leading film and TV training, offers multi-disciplinary programs designed to develop the next generation of African storytellers.

The graduation ceremony, held on 27th November 2024 in Lusaka, recognized the hard work and talent of the students in this year’s cohort, as well as the success of graduates from previous years. Each year, students from Lusaka, Lagos, and Nairobi graduate from MTF academies, and this year’s graduation marks a proud achievement for the Southern Africa academy.

Christopher Puta, the MTF Southern Africa Academy Director, expressed pride in the accomplishments of the 100 graduates, saying, “Each year for the past five years, 20 creatives from seven Southern African countries have passed through this groundbreaking programme. 

Each of these 100 young people has emerged with a fresh sense of direction in their lives, useful skills, and the promise of a bright future. We are proud of them, and proud to be helping to build our industry.”

This year’s graduates completed a 12-month program that included workshops, lectures, practical film productions, and masterclasses, where they gained skills in screenwriting, editing, sound design, producing, and directing. 

Among the top performers of this year’s cohort were Hidlson de Jesus Valentim, who earned first place and a 6-week internship at the New York Film Academy (NYFA), Beatus Msamange, who placed second and received a 2-week internship with Zee World, and Goitsemang Chalumbila, who secured third place and a 2-week internship with MultiChoice in South Africa.

These internships will help further their careers in the film and television industry, opening doors to prestigious opportunities.

The MTF course is created in collaboration with international partners like the New York Film Academy, Zee World, and the University of Zambia. These partners provide essential training, course content, and internship opportunities to ensure the success of MTF graduates as they continue to grow in the industry.

During the graduation ceremony, Puta highlighted some of the impressive achievements of former MTF graduates. These include:

• Chimwemwe Chipidza from Zimbabwe, who placed second in the African Monologue Championships in Kampala, Uganda.
• Amos Mwape from Zambia, who won first prize in the Twalumba Resort & Hotels content-creation competition.
• Tekla Nakale from Namibia, who won the best scriptwriting award at the MultiChoice Namibia Film Festival for the film Ataman.
• Eltina Gasper from Angola, who successfully produced three short films: Luxury in Trash, Look and You Will Hear Me (about pregnant deaf women), and Hotel Panorama (about an iconic building).
• Mary Siamwanda from Zambia, who was cast in a key role in the new season of Zambian telenovela Chokolo.

Furthermore, the leading Zambian post-production company Wathinta Imbokodo has hired four MTF graduates and offered paid internships to three more.

This year, the MTF community also overcame a significant challenge. One of the students, Faith Msole, fell ill and had to return home to Malawi. MTF made an exception to its usual policy by allowing Faith to complete her studies entirely online, ensuring that her education continued despite the circumstances. This act reflects MTF’s commitment to giving every student the opportunity to succeed.

Prof. Mundia Muya, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zambia, shared his views on the partnership with MTF, saying, “The University of Zambia is able to lend its academic expertise in knowledge transfer, while MTF provides industry awareness. This intuitive partnership has benefited Southern Africa’s aspiring film professionals for several years.”

As part of their practical work, MTF students completed five public-service videos for the Zambia Revenue Authority. These videos covered topics such as tax compliance, e-filing, VAT, small-business support, and taxpayer rights. They also had site visits and engagements with the Zambian education ministry, with Minister Douglas Syakalima praising MTF for its training courses and giving young people the chance to pursue careers in the industry.

Oluwakemi Omotosho, Regional Director for Southern Africa at MultiChoice Group Holdings, commented on MTF’s impact, saying, “MTF continues to contribute positively to Africa’s TV and broadcast industry. Many graduates go on to join established platforms like Showmax and Zambezi Magic, or open their own production companies and work on notable productions across Africa. MTF has proven itself to be an asset to the film industry and a path to a successful TV career for many young people.” 

Source: Techtrends Zambia