FAMA beckons youth participation in film production, acting

MALAWI: The Film Association of Malawi (FAMA) President, Gift Sukez Sukali, says his association is geared to build up film production and acting skills among the youth as one way of increasing youth participation in film production and acting in the country.

Sukali said this on Monday in Lilongwe after the signing of a one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FAMA and Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute on the introduction of film production and acting short courses by FAMA at Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe.

Sukali said FAMA decided to partner with Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute after noticing a lack of schools in the country where people, particularly youths, can acquire film production and acting skills.

He said: “In Malawi, we do not have places where people especially youth can be able to learn technical skills regarding film production and acting, in an addition to that we have also noted a lack of professionalism among people who are doing video production for events such as weddings.

“For this reason, as an association, we thought it wise to partner with Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute to produce trained people, including the youth, who are skilled in film production and acting.”

According to Sukali, the training for the program will start on December 20 at the Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute campus in Lilongwe and it will run for one week.

The FAMA President has since urged the youth, including girls, who have an interest in film production and acting, to participate in their large numbers.

He further said facilitators of the training will be people who have been in the film and acting industry for quite some time and they are doing great things in the industry.

The fees for the training have been broken down into three categories according to Sukali.

“Non-members of FAMA and those who are not students at Don Bosco Technical Institute will have to pay K30, 000, while those who are students and alumni at Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute will have to pay K20, 000,” he explained, and continued, “FAMA members will have to pay K10, 000.”

On the other hand, girls in all categories will pay their fees with a 50 percent discount, as one way of encouraging them to participate in the training.

Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute Vice Principal, Precious Chilupsya, has since applauded the introduction of film production and acting classes at Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute.

“The introduction of film production and acting classes at our campus is a very important initiative and great ambition to our mission.

“With this new development we will be able to reach out to many other young people who were left out because at our school we did not concentrate much on this other area of art,” Chilupsya said.