[ad_1]
Inspired by the success of the global film industry, dynamic duo Chimwemwe Mkwezalamba and Rafik Seleman founded Kwacha Creative Studio four years ago with the aim of tackling Malawi’s high youth unemployment rate by harnessing the power of filmmaking.
The film production and distribution company showcases Malawian’s unique and diverse stories and brands, producing feature films, television series, documentaries and creative advertising campaigns.
“We noticed a gap in the market for high-production value content in Malawi, and we wanted to fill that gap while making a positive impact on the local community,” said Seleman. “This inspired us to build the company with a three-pronged strategy: produce high-quality content, showcase our culture and local brands globally, and create jobs and trade opportunities.”
In the growing African film and television industry, Kwacha Creative Studios specializes in production services, creating content for streaming channels, nature and wildlife organizations, corporate/charity clients and other production companies. Among other things, the studio has produced feature films and TV series that aired on DSTV and Showmax, and won the Silicon Valley Africa Film Festival Best Emerging Director Award for the short film The Designer. Kwacha Creative Studios also enriches its services by providing equipment and crew rental services for international productions filming in Malawi.
For Mkwezalamba, filmmaking is more than a profession, it is a calling. She believes that filmmaking is a powerful tool to communicate and inspire positive social and economic change, especially among young people in Malawi. She believes that cultural and creative industries are vital to Malawi’s socio-economy because they celebrate diversity, promote cultural exchange, drive tourism and employment in a different way than other industries.
Kwacha Creative Studios has been announced as one of a dozen entrepreneurs to enter the final incubation and immersion phase of Création Africa, a French investment aimed at boosting the cultural and creative industries in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi.
Mkwezalamba and Seleman’s vision for the studio is to make it a commercial success while driving economic growth in Malawi and establishing the country’s cultural and creative industries as a globally recognized powerhouse.
Their journey hasn’t been smooth sailing, though. Limited industry-standard equipment, high production costs, and difficulties in market penetration have presented them with challenges. However, Mkwezalamba and Seleman remain focused on their vision to expand the studio and share engaging Malawian content with a wider audience.
Reflecting on their journey with the Création Africa programme so far, Mkwezalamba shared, “The Création Africa experience has been transformative, providing invaluable knowledge, encouragement and insights that have enhanced our business. We have gained a deeper understanding of the cultural and creative industries and built a network of like-minded entrepreneurs.”
Follow and subscribe to Nyasa TV:
[ad_2]
Source link
