There was a roar of excitement as MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumni took to the stage to accept the MultiChoice Talent Factory Award for the Promises, a film by the MTF East Africa Academy. The announcement was made at the 7th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) in Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday, 14 March 2020. Hosted by IK Osakioduwa and a new co-host, Amina Abdi Rabar, it was an evening of glitz and glamour with Africa’s crème de la crème of the film & TV industry.
Promises is a moving story about a boda-boda driver who struggles to raise his children after the death of his wife during childbirth. The film was directed by Casey Lugada & Karanja Ng’endo, produced by Jane Moshi and Fisehatsion Nibret was the Director of Photography (DOP). “All the films nominated in the MTF category were remarkable for their technical experience and their storytelling. The winning film from East Africa, Promises is an especially poignant tale, told with verve and strong visual aesthetics. It signals a great future for visual storytelling in African cinema,” says Femi Odugbemi, AMVCAs Head Judge.
When asked about the Promises win, MTF East Africa Academy Director Njoki Muhoho had this to say: “This win is a confirmation of the passion, energy, enthusiasm, hard work and teamwork that was exhibited by the team. The MTF East Africa Academy team couldn’t be prouder. May the MTF experience and this recognition by the best in the industry be a catalyst for these young creatives to ignite Africa’s creative industries.”
Promises were among six films in the newly launched category, which aims to reward excellence in storytelling and provide a platform for alumni of MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academies, MultiChoice Africa’s shared-value initiative, with academies in West, East and Southern Africa. The other films nominated were DreamChaser (West Africa), Ensulo (East Africa), Life of Bim (West Africa), Savannah Skies (Southern Africa) and The Painting (Southern Africa), which were produced by students of MTF’s class of 2019 and culminated the 12-month immersion programme, aimed at developing the next generation of African film and TV creatives.