The Showmax and Actor Spaces partnership has premiered masterclasses every second Thursday on YouTube to empower the industry. The first masterclass was facilitated by the 2022 SAFTA Best Actor winner Bonko Khoza, followed by The Wife’s casting director, Ayanda Sithebe, on the art of auditioning. And then by Mandla N on authentic directing. Last week Layla Swart touched on how she produces locally relevant stories for the competitive international stage.
In recognition of the power of film to change narratives, Africa No Filter has launched The Last Mile Film Fund that will provide grants to filmmakers in the final stages of production.
The fund wants to influence the conversation about African films and Africa by partnering with storytellers using film to change how the rest of the world sees and engages with Africa. Successful applicants can expect to receive grants worth up to $15,000 for feature-length films and up to $10,000 for short films.
Twenty-six-year-old Maputo, Mozambique, college student, Melissa Babil, believes film and TV have the power to transform lives, especially those of young Africans.
So much so, in fact, that if she had the chance to make a TV show of her own, it would focus on helping Africa’s young people.