Zambia film festival: Local movies win big - Times of Zambia -

The 13th edition of the Zambia Short Film Festival concluded in Lusaka with an Awards Night that recognised outstanding local and international filmmakers following several days of film screenings, training and industry engagements.

Held under the theme, “Framers of Peace,” this year’s festival attracted 510 film submissions from around the world, with 40 films selected for screening and 115 proceeding to adjudication by a local and international jury.

“Ntambi’s Choice” emerged as one of the biggest winners in the local category, winning Best Film and Best Director while Abigail Nyirenda won Best Actress for her role in the production.

“Paradox” also recorded a strong performance at the awards, winning Best Director of Photography (DOP), Best Editor and Best Actor.

Other local winners included “Spirit of the Hornbill”, which received the Best Sound award and later won the Audience Choice Award.

“Who Gets the Kid?” won Best Screenplay while “Zambia” scooped Best Student Film, with Joseph Chola receiving a Local Honourable Mention.

In the international category, “Tsubosho” was named Best International Film while Brazil’s “Hacker Lunático” won Best International Feature.

Kenya’s “The Curate’s” received the Best Documentary award.

The Canadian “Climate Crisis” was recognised as Best Music Video.

International Honourable Mentions went to Iran’s “Bruised” and the United States’ “Mom, Wherever You are.”

The festival also presented Recognition Awards to Alliance Française de Lusaka, as well as the Zambian short productions “The Untold Story” and “Trapped.”

Speaking during the Awards Night, Festival Director Emmanuel Mwape said the festival has grown from a platform for screening short films into a meeting point for filmmakers, actors, students and other creative professionals.

Mwape said the festival was founded more than a decade ago through the vision of the Zambia Film and Television Artists (ZAFTA) and the Association of Independent Film and Television Producers of Zambia, with the aim of giving filmmakers an opportunity to share their craft and gain confidence before undertaking larger projects.

He said more than 500 filmmakers have been trained through various festival programmes over the years, with many going on to work in the industry as directors, producers, actors, cinematographers and editors.

Mwape said this year’s edition alone reached more than 500 participants and audience members through its various activities.

The festival also featured a Film Business Master Class and an Actors Indiana, which brought together industry professionals to discuss opportunities, challenges and the development of Zambia’s creative sector.

The Film Business Masterclass featured Owes Ray Mwape and Esther Beattie of the Namibia Film Commission while the Actors Indiana brought together actors and industry professionals including Samantha Zulu, Mwaka Mbewe, Eva Simasiku, Oni Cormas Ng’andu, Jeremy Mumba, Mercy Banda and Dixon Mumba.

National Arts Council of Zambia Director Adrian Chanda also attended the festival and spoke about the importance of continued support for Zambia’s arts and creative industries.

Alliance Française de Lusaka, which has maintained a longstanding partnership with the festival was also recognised for its development and visibility of the arts.

Mwape called for greater and more consistent investment in Zambia’s creative sector, urging the Ministry responsible for Youth, Sport and Arts, the National Arts Council and other stakeholders to give film festivals greater consideration in annual planning and funding programmes.

“For more than a decade, the Zambia Short Film Festival has continued to empower filmmakers, create opportunities, build networks, provide training and give our stories a platform,” Mwape said.