Kapwepwe asks corporate institutions to promote local films

National Arts Council (NAC) of Zambia Chairperson Mulenga Kapwepwe has challenged the corporate world in the country to promote and put value on locally produced films.
Ms. Kapwepwe said the active involvement of the corporate world in the film industry will help the sector grow.

She was speaking in Lusaka last night during the launch of the Zambia Film, Television and Radio (ZAFTAR) week.

She noted that Zambia has a rich media artistic talent that needs to be supported by the business community for it to flourish.

Ms. Kapwepwe has however noted that the lack of corporate involvement and little appreciation of locally produced films has negatively affected the development of the local film industry.

The NAC chairperson said the launch of the ZAFTAR week is cardinal because it will create a platform for showcasing Zambia’s talent and also for promoting collaboration among content producers.

This week, ZAFTAR will screen locally produced films at Ster Kenekor cinema as a way of showcasing talent in Zambian film industry.

Ms. Kapwepwe hoped that the showcasing of Zambian movies will attract international film makers who will collaborate with local film producers in telling the Zambian stories through movies.

ZAFTAR has lined up various activities this week. During the week, local film makers will be trained in acting, sound design, screen writing, directing, producing and cinematography before the awards night which will be held on Friday, December 12, 2014.

And speaking at the same event, National Association of Media Arts (NAMA) chairman Patrick Salubusa said the involvement of the corporate world in the film industry will give birth to great locally produced movies.

Mr. Salubusa said the film industry has the potential to create jobs if only the corporate world worked with local film producers.

He has since appeal to cinema houses to give locally produced movies 51 percent space as this is important to the development of the film sector.

Mr. Salubusa said 50 years after political independence, Zambia was still putting value on foreign films, whose culture is alien, rather than promoting local films.