The MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy in East Africa officially opened its doors yesterday (9.10.2018).
20 candidates from East Africa will begin their 12-month training programme at the Academy this month where they will be provided with skillsets to develop their talent, connect with industry professionals and tell authentic African stories. Out of the 20 individuals, 11 young men and 9 young women beat out over 3,000 applicants to secure their spot in the Talent Factory.
Speaking to Capital Campus about the what the training ahead means to her Mary Wanjku, one of the lucky 20 exclaimed, “I am eager to revolutionize the film industry in Kenya”. Also, among the 20 young storytellers, Hilda Awori from Uganda spoke out saying, ” in most African films we only see male superheroes, male protagonists. This is our chance to empower women to tell our stories.”
The launch saw ITC CS, Joseph Mucheru, as one of the main keynote speakers of the day. Director-General, Communications Authority of Kenya, Eng. Francis Wangusi, Principal Secretary, State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunication, Fatuma Hirsi Mohammed, John Kiarie MP Dagoretti South, CEO Kenya Film Classification Board, Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, and Godfrey Mngereza, Executive Secretary at the National Art Council of Tanzania were also in attendance.
Information and Communication Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Mucheru, praised the initiative for supporting the creative industry with skills development in East Africa. “I am thankful to MultiChoice for the immense investment they are putting into making sure that we have the right being developed and these will be useful for both television and other industries in film.”
“The key to the longevity of our culture, industry and storytelling traditions, lies in the opportunities we create for established creative professionals to exercise their craft while simultaneously mentoring the next generation. The MultiChoice Talent Factory is a critical link to realizing this dream. It is through this lens that we celebrate our investment in the development of future creative leaders, the local economy and reverence for the art of storytelling in the African tradition – truly giving agency to the MultiChoice vision of Enriching Lives.” said Maharage Chande, Northern Region Director at MultiChoice Africa.
