Potential partners for funding

Possible partners are:

• Embassy of the United States of America
• Embassy of Finland
• Embassy of Germany
• Embassy of Iceland
• Embassy of Japan
• European Union
• Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)
• OXFAM

Film schools, training programmes

There is no film school.

Thanks to the Malawi International Film Festival’s initiative at least 3 professional trainings have been offered to producers, directors, writers, editors and cinematographers.

Currently, there are other professional trainings in the same areas by American filmmakers through the American Embassy and the Film Association of Malawi (FAMA).

Business management, technical and journalism schools interested in being involved with this initiative

All colleges under the University of Malawi would be interested but too much bureaucracy could deter the efforts.

• Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ)
• It’s advised to set up an independent school to be linked to the University for Media and

Festivals

• The Malawi International Film Festival was established in
• There is another film festival called Malawi Film Festival (MAFF) that is currently running in the capital Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba.

Professional, peer mentorship group: creative producers, line producers, directors, writers, editors

There is the Malawi Film Makers Association (FAMA) formed in 2011 but it’s still in its infant stage despite having a series of projects in development.

Camera, computer hardware, software and other tech-related companies in film

• Film production companies: First Wave Pictures, Extra Solutions, Hub Media Group, Atlas Productions, Kings Multimedia Productions, Go- Bright Media, Falcons Multimedia Consultants
• Local TV stations are well equipped: the State run MBC TV, the Catholic Church’s Luntha TV and two Pentecostal Church TV stations named Calvary TV and AFJ
• The NGO Story Workshop also has

Sales companies, distributors advisory group

There are none. Not many people are knowledgeable about distribution.

Advocacy partners

• There sre none, but they could exist if given
• MBC TV and media consultants could play a major advocacy role in creating awareness campaigns if
• Some institutions could be associated in the advocacy efforts g. FAMA, Pakachere Institute for Health and Development Communication, Centre for Health and Development Communication, Department of Journalism of the Polytechnic, etc.

Existing documentary and news archives

• The Film Unit under The Ministry of Information is the main place and hosts governmental archives of various
• Television Malawi (TVM) has its own archive but it’s considered very
• Some video production houses have built an in- house archive g. EG Atlas Productions, King Multimedia, First Wave, The Hub media group, Extra Solutions.
• FAMA is in the process of setting up an

All forms of distribution, including: broadcast, theatrical, internet, mobile TV, telecoms/mobile phone, mobile cinema, film/video clubs, etc.

Only through show room clubs in townships, cinema (for people with high incomes because it’s expensive), and broadcast via TVM (but very biased and with less viewership). TVM has an extremely limited broadcast range and offers only two channels.

The issuance of new TV licenses has provided an opportunity to create a wider viewership.

Educational and non-profit distributors

The Film Unit of the Ministry of Information, the Pakachere Institute for Health and Development Communication and the Auditorium of the US Embassy in Malawi are well known for non-profit showcasing of documentaries.

The Film Association of Malawi (FAMA) is in the process of setting up a non-profit distribution project.

Legal frameworks including any censorship issues

There are no specific laws for documentary production. These are encompassed within all media outlets. Other media laws fall within the Constitution.

There is a censorship board that looks into this but they need to be given direction, as they are not fully aware of how to go about it.

There is broadcasting and filming law within the Censorship Act which protects the rights of ownership for creative works but also ensures that only culturally and morally acceptable video materials are being produced and are available on the market.

The Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) wields powers over Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Malawi Television, community broadcasters, school broadcasters, private compsnies and individuals engaged in broadcasting. MACRA forbids community and school broadcasters from broadcasting news bulletins.

Audience cultivation strategies including publicity/ PR strategy

There is a lack of funding for these activities.

Previously it has been through TV advert, news publications and print (posters and banners) and through mailing lists of embassies and participating partners.

FAMA is in the process of setting up an audience cultivation project.

Revenue strategies, including advertising, sponsorship, footage licensing, partnerships with news organisations

The only existing revenue is through sponsorship.

Currently, big organisations (e.g. UN agencies, OXFAM, World Vision, etc.) and governmental bodies pay private producers to produce documentaries.

There’s no culture of outsourcing at the TVM. But maybe this may change with the recent issuing of a number of TV licenses’ to independent broadcasters.

However, today, local TV stations are only willing to broadcast private documentaries for free or if the producers are ready to buy airtime for showcasing their materials.

Study of rights issues for distribution both broadcast and online

It is possible to do this through the Censorship Board.

Options and best practices for dealing with piracy

The long-term plan is to strengthen the Copyright Society of Malawi to give it enough teeth to bite. So far there have been commendable efforts by the association in protecting the rights of local productions.

Possible creation of online film library and/or channel to distribute films supported by ADFF and others

This can help documentaries produced in Malawi to develop by putting them on the map.

The internet has only recently made its way into Malawi. Currently, there are a handful of service providers offering internet access in the three main cities (Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu). Because most people living outside of the cities do not have phones in their homes, most do not have internet access in their homes, either.

Internet access is limited by high cost and lack of infrastructure. However, Wireless Internet application is easing access to the internet and internet access is growing.

According to International Telecommunications Union statistics for 2009, approximately 4.7 percent of the country’s inhabitants used the internet.

There is little or no internet censorship in Malawi. The law prohibits the publication or transmission of anything “that could be useful to the enemy”, as well as religiously offensive and obscene material.

Social movements, civil society groups and other partners

Sixty five percent of the Malawian population lives below the poverty line of US$1 a day. The economy remains one of the poorest in the world – ranked 165 out of 177 countries in terms of human development.

Eighty-six percent of Malawians, most of whom are poor, live in rural areas and have no direct linkages with the government, parliament and other government mechanisms.

Pressure groups and civil society organisations (especially churches) led an uprising in the early 1990s to call for the introduction of multiparty democracy in the country. In 1994 Malawians voted into office their first democratic, multi party government. The birth of this democracy saw a proliferation of civil society organisations in the country. Participation of civil society organisations in the running of government affairs has become necessary for the promotion of accountable and transparent government and policy processes that benefit the poor and excluded.

Civil society organisations in Malawi continue to be vocal on national political issues.

Various organisations use videos as a tool mainly to promote the activities they are involved in (e.g. HIV/ AIDS, farming and civic education issues).

Possible partners are:

• Pakachere Institute, an NGO specializing in Health Communication with a major focus on fighting HIV/AIDS through radio and TV programmes
• Story Workshop, an NGO specially designed to produce programmes aimed at scaling down Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV/ AIDS
• National AIDS Commission
• OXFAM
• Women and Law society
• Malawi International Film Festival
• Malawi Film Festival (MAFF)
• Film Association of Malawi (FAMA)
• Macfest (arts festival initiated by the government)
• Embassy of the United States of America
• Embassy of Finland
• Embassy of Germany
• Embassy of Iceland
• Embassy of Japan
• European Union
• Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD)

Political sensitivities

Malawi is among the world’s least-developed countries. The economy is heavily based on agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet development needs, although this need (and the aid offered) has decreased since 2000. The Malawian government faces challenges in building and expanding the economy, improving education, health care, environmental protection, and becoming financially independent.

As of 2010, international observers noted issues in several human rights areas. Excessive force was seen to be used by police forces, security forces were able to act with impunity, mob violence was occasionally seen, and prison conditions continued to be harsh and sometimes life threatening. However, the government was seen to make some effort to prosecute security forces who used excessive force. Other legal issues included limits on free speech and freedom of the press, lengthy pretrial detentions, and arbitrary arrests and detentions. Societal issues include violence against women, human trafficking and child labor. Corruption within the government is seen as a major issue, despite the Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) attempts to reduce it. The ACB appears to be successful at finding and prosecuting low-level corruption, but higher- level officials appear to be able to act with impunity. Corruption within security forces is also an issue.

As of 2010, homosexuality was illegal in Malawi, and in one recent case, a couple perceived as homosexual faced extensive jail time when convicted. The convicted pair, sentenced to the maximum of 14 years of hard labor each, were pardoned two weeks later following the intervention of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In May 2012, President Joyce Banda pledged to repeal laws criminalising homosexuality.

Considering the prevailing corruption among political officials, caution has to be exercised to ensure that politicians are not involved in the allocation of funding so as to avoid the ADFF turning into a political tool.

The Malawi constitution does guarantee freedom of the press and speech. Therefore as long as a film production does not violate any rights, it is in line with the fundamental principles of the constitution.

Any documentary film touching on homosexuality issues is quite sensitive. But that does not mean it can’t be addressed while at the same time taking into consideration local sensitivities.