The graduation event was a celebration of the hard work and dedication of the 57 graduating students – as well as the success of MultiChoice’s Talent Factory concept.
The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), now in its third cohort, has shown that the African entertainment sector is full of compelling stories just waiting to be told.
This was evident during the annual MTF Academy graduation ceremony, where 57 students from three academies in West, East, and Southern Africa showcased the kind of talent found in Africa.
As members of the new MTF Class of 2022, Lucia Kim Hamunghete, Jose Carlos Amutenya, and Jerome Claasen represented Namibia. Through their diligence and hard work, they have acquired skills that will enable them to realize their dreams of being filmmakers.
Top graduates from each of the three academies were given the incredible opportunity to further their development with internships sponsored by MTF partner organizations, in addition to receiving degrees recognized by the Academy’s three partner universities, the University of Zambia, Kenyatta University, and Pan Atlantic University in Nigeria.
HATS UP … The MultiChoice Talent Factory Class of 2022
According to MultiChoice Namibia Managing Director Roger Gertze, “MultiChoice has been devoted to upskilling Namibians’ lives through the MultiChoice Talent Factory and has seen six Namibians improve their careers in the creative field.”
“We would like to extend our heartful congratulations to the MTF Class of 2022 graduates for their dedication towards the year-long course and we are excited for them to use their newfound knowledge to empower and educate Namibians through the power of storytelling.”
The top graduates at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) who received an eight-week scholarship are Adedamola Akapo from Nigeria, Lushinjilo Victor Kasanga from Zambia, and Melkamu Haile from Ethiopia. The top graduates, Audrey Egesa from Kenya, Yvonne Feresu from Zimbabwe, and Emmanuel Horla Nuvor from Ghana have each been given a two-week Bollywood internship that is co-sponsored by Zee World. Additionally, a two-week internship at a local film and TV production in South Africa has been awarded to top graduates Oluwatoyosi Fowode from Nigeria, Kenneth Msanjila from Tanzania, and Larona Dichaba.
Government representatives, high commissioners, MTF partner organizations, and stakeholders joined the graduates’ families at the prestigious graduation ceremony in support.
According to Kobus Bezuidenhout, regional director for MultiChoice Northern Africa, “MultiChoice congratulates the Class of 2022 on their accomplishments and looks forward to working alongside these outstanding graduates to deliver distinctively African stories to homes and theatres throughout the continent.”
Several MTF Academy facilitators as well as well-known actors and producers from Zambia, including Yoweli Chungu and Lawrence Thompson, Mofe Duncan, veteran performers Onyebuchi Ojieh and Ayo Lijadu, and Chichi Daisy, among others, sent congratulations to the graduates.
Thanks to its solid collaborations with notable organizations like NYFA, Dolby Studios, Canon, Zee World, Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria, Kenyatta University in Kenya, and the University of Zambia, the MTF program has continued to be successful.
A 12-month filmmaking curriculum with accreditation is offered by the MTF Academy. The students took part in a variety of courses as part of their curriculum under the guidance of seasoned industry experts from across the continent, including legendary Kenyan producer Appie Matere and Nigerian director Tunde Kelani. Their final course requirement was to write and produce a feature film, which would air on DStv local channels.
With a deeper and more strategic understanding of the film and television industry, the graduates will soon enter the workforce and take on the thrilling challenge of reshaping and retelling African stories.
“The accomplishments of the Class of 2022 have profoundly encouraged us, and we are grateful to the many collaborations and stakeholders that helped make this success possible. According to MultiChoice Nigeria CEO John Ugbe, the MTF shared-value project has already improved the lives of over 170 African creatives since 2018. MultiChoice looks forward to continuing to provide this opportunity for additional creatives in the future.
