Our aim is to make films about Malawi and introduce the young Malawian generation of filmmakers to an international audience.
Filmmaking is a new form of self-expression in Malawi, and we aim to open our stories to worldwide audience.
Despite the steady rise of filmmaking in Malawi, we miss institutions that provide education in film production to young people. We address the demand by facilitating workshops and renting film equipment.
In 2014 we produced B’ella (directed and written by Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera), which was only the third feature film in Malawi. The film was successful on the international film circuit, with its World Premiere at the Zanzibar International Film Festival, European Premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and two nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
In the course of the film production, we established that there is a lack of skills amongst the youth and that young people in Malawi are missing out on gaining professional training in the audiovisual field.
To address this problem, Dikamawoko Arts partnered once again with Nyasa Films International to pioneer film training through intensive film production workshops. The concept is to invite experienced filmmakers from our networks around the world, to train aspiring young Malawian filmmakers, some with little or no prior experience in media production, through intensive skills and knowledge in film and television production and encourage the young Malawian generation in their self-expression.
The first workshop was met with encouraging interest. We have started to organize regular workshops.
Each course aims to train 16 students and lasts seven weeks. Participants are journalists, NGO workers, filmmakers, bloggers, social and media workers. We want to be renowned for addressing the needs of our target groups by providing available quality of education, equipment, and materials, moral support, and connection to the global film community. Malawi is a remarkable country that the world perceives through clichés, but we want the young generation to raise their voices.
Our workshops involve Classroom Theory work and Practical part.
Once finished films are premiered in Blantyre and Lilongwe, after which are submitted to festivals across the globe on the international film festival circuits. We have built a growing network with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and International Film Festival for Children and Youth in the Czech Republic, Afrika Film Festival in Belgium, Tokyo Lift-off Film Festival in Japan, Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt, Silicon Valley African Film Festival and Houston African Film Festival in the USA, Mashariki Film Festival in Rwanda or Goteborg International Film Festival in Sweden.
Each year we produce two short movies and we work on at least two crosscutting subjects from the townships and communities the participants come from.
In order to motivate our students, we opened up opportunities for cooperation with organizations that are involved in similar projects in developing countries. We have started cooperation with the Kwetu Film Institute in Rwanda and Yangon Film School in Myanmar with the idea of missing exchange program opportunities for students and tutors. We have trained 49 aspiring filmmakers since 2015, 18 females and 31 males, ranging from the ages of 16 to 50. Gender parity and utmost ethnic diversity are maintained as far as possible.
Recruitment of students is made primarily via local media and development sectors and creative community.
Filmmaking is a new form of art and medium of expression in Malawi. As a career, filmmaking has the promise of a vibrant industry. We foster the concept of Social Entrepreneurship through sustained film productions and our membership programs offer strong support throughout the year: students can borrow film equipment for their own projects free of charge at any time of the year and they can also consult their screenplays free of charge.
Our strength is not a one-off activity, but a systematic work with the young generation who are interested in discussion and creative reflection on the topics of their own country.
Production history: 2014 B’ella / a feature movie about the new role of girls in Malawian schools, 2015 The Designer / a comedy about a love triangle, 2016 Shoe shiner / a short documentary about life in Blantyre from, 2016 Naked Tattoo / a short documentary about tattoos which are some sort of taboo in Malawian society, 2017 The Coffin maker / a short documentary about a coffin salesman, 2017 The Barber / a short documentary about a commercial barber, 2018 Motorcycle Mechanics / a short documentary about motor-passion, 2018 The Journey / a silent short film about a young man visiting his dying grandmother at a hospital, 2018 Water is Life / a short film about a shortage of drinking water in Blantyre, 2019 Dark Room / a short fiction film about bullying and mental health in secondary schools, 2019 Tears Reveal / a documentary on the plight of people with albinism in Blantyre, 2020 Mudi River Jobs / a documentary about people doing business around Mudi River in Blantyre City. HAHA
We have worked to adapt the short story based on the book NYUMA – MPHUVYA ZA MU MPHARA into a screenplay for the feature film. The screenplay will highlight elements of almost lost Tumbuka culture such as Respect for Elders, Death and Funeral Rites, Belief in Curses, The Ritual of Disownment, The Curse of the Giver of Life and others. The mystery of Nyuma’s illness is an unsolved phenomenon in the story, which only the mythical legend of Ntchimi Chikanga can provide the cure to. Ntchimi Chikanga is a real-life mythological man that lived in Northern Malawi and was renowned for his spiritual, healing and soothsaying prowess.
Save these names – Chimwemwe Mkwezalamba, Bright Africa Makina. Once our students, now promising filmmakers.
The idea of the NYUMA film has started with a NYOKO NI NYOKO story. This is about the Nkhamanga people’s belief in curses, centred on the protagonist, Nyuma, who tests his mother (stepmother) beyond limits, through his insults and callous, drunken behaviour, and she disowns him by performing a ritual, the Curse of the Giver of Life.
All in all is all about the NYUMA screenplay. It will highlight elements of Tumbuka culture such as Respect for Elders, Death and Funeral Rites, Belief in Curses, The Ritual of Disownment, The Curse of the Giver of Life and others. The mystery of Nyuma’s illness is an unsolved phenomenon in the story, which only the mythical legend of Ntchimi Chikanga can provide the cure to. Ntchimi Chikanga is a real life mythological man that lived in Northern Malawi, and was renowned for his spiritual, healing and soothsaying prowess. Stay tuned!
Watch new Bright Makina film now.