By Staff Reporter
Johannesburg, April 27 — The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) initiative, which provides training and talent development in the entertainment industry, has had a significant impact at this year’s Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). Five MTF alumni were nominated across three categories, highlighting the success of the MTF Academies in educating the next generation of African storytellers and multiplying the impact of entertainment talent on the continent.
Wilson Nkya and Philipo Ngonyani’s production, Mvamizi, and Nkya and Jane Moshi’s production, Frida, were both nominated in the Best Indigenous Language: Swahili and Best Movie East Africa categories at AMVCA 9. Orire Nwani, another MTF alumnus, was nominated for Best Short Film/Online Video for Love Language, and Emmanuel Mwape was nominated for Best Movie Southern Africa for Silver Lining.
The MTF initiative has honed the skills of over 120 emerging TV and film production professionals in 13 countries across Africa over its four years of existence. The program has created an MTF Alumni Network of skilled graduates that now occupy significant roles across the industry, including directors, producers, sound designers, camera operators, art directors, scriptwriters, and editors. These professionals use their newfound knowledge to bring African stories to the world.
Nwabisa Matyumza, MTF Director for Africa, acknowledged the accomplishments of the MTF graduates at the AMVCAs and commended the program for the impact it is causing across the industry and national economies. Victoria Goro, MTF East Africa Academy Director, extended her congratulations to the nominated alumni and expressed her pride in their work.
The MTF Academy’s impact on the awards and across the industry highlights the Africa-wide power of the program. It delivers well-trained professionals to production houses and TV stations in their respective home countries, and graduates have launched documentary series and created award-winning feature films.
MTF Academy West Africa Director Atinuke Babatunde said, “We’re proud to see our people making waves at the AMVCAs. It’s more proof of how their work contributes to the creative space and also helps to grow the economy of their countries.”
With MTF alumni now firmly embedded across the African broadcasting industry, the future of television and film production on the continent looks bright. Nwabisa congratulated the MTF teams for their role in the successes of MTF program graduates, saying, “MTF is making a powerful impact, shaping the future of our industry, and having a multiplier effect across the economies of many African countries. We are proud to see the unique stories they are telling.”
– Namibia Daily News
