07 Feb 2022

When young filmmaker Mphonyana Mokokwe received a call last November to enter Netflix and UNESCO’s African Folktales, Reimagined competition, little did she know that  it would open doors for her in the international film space.

 

Mokokwe was alerted by   her family and friends to enter the the competition. And, she did not hesitate, she grabbed the opportunity. Today, Mokokwe has been shortlisted for  the Top 21 Netflix and UNESCO’s African Folktales, Reimagined contestant. 

“My family and friends knew I am a filmmaker and they shared  the notifications ,” said Mokokwe sharing her moment of making it to the Top 21 emerging filmmakers  selected for the African Folktales, Reimagined competition by Netflix and UNESCO.

 

As a film student, Mokokwe who studied Live Performance at Afda Botswana and Honours in film directing in Cape Town, automatically applied because of her experience as a developing writer and self-taught director. “They wanted someone with a background of film or any kind of theatre, and since opening my production company in 2017, I have been documenting my work,” explained Mokokwe, adding that along with the African Folktales Reimagined concept, she attached her work for the competition “because they also wanted to establish if the person given an opportunity would be able to see it through.”

 

The story of Ntiti le Ntitietsana folktale saw the 29 year old from Mmankgodi making it to the top 21 African emerging filmmakers. 

The moral of Ntiti le Ntitietsana folktale is the importance of  Botho or respect by teaching children right from wrong. 

However, reimagining the old tale Mokokwe called it Ntiti le Tshenolo as the reimagined version of the original story. “I took the old tale as is and merged it with a character of the current era,” she said.

 

“I also motivated the target market and how I would want my story to sell to the targeted group,” she stated 

Mokokwe gave the new version a new happy ending, unlike in the original tale where the other sibling was punished for bad behaviour. “But my new version with interesting visuals for kids, gives her a happy ending where her sibling comes to rescue her,” said Mokokwe. 

 

In her line of work, as an actress/director, Mokokwe is more of a screen person as she is fascinated by reality and imitating real-life. “Getting into different spaces to explore different emotions of real people is very fascinating as you get to understand how people are and then able to react to different situations because you put it into practice on a daily,” said Mokokwe.

 

She said her style of film also taught her as a person values as she comes in contact with those emotions and background therefore she is able to know how to deal with such. She said it helped her coach her actors better to get in the emotions, and feel it, “it is real life and one has to feel it, it is not about acting but doing something that is real.

 

“Even if in Ntiti le Ntitietsane story it is a magical realism, at the end of the day it is a real life lesson,” said Mokokwe indicating that whatever choices made had to portray some kind of message to the intended target.

The Top 21 candidates were selected from 2080 entries of 13 countries (Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Mauritania, Uganda, Tanzania, Cote d’Voire, Cameroon and Sao Tome and Principe) across the African continent in multiple languages.

 

They  will go on to the next phase of the competition where they will pitch their stories to a panel of representatives from Netflix and UNESCO as well as mentors Femi Odugbemi from Nigeria, South Africa’s Bongiwe Selane, Leila Afua Djansi from Ghana, David Tosh Gitonga of Kenya and Jean Luc Herbulot of the Republic of Congo; and the final six filmmakers selected as winners.

 

The final six will receive a production grant of US$75,000 (through a local production company) to develop, shoot and post-produce their films under the guidance of Netflix and industry mentors to ensure everyone involved in the production is fairly compensated. Each of the six winners will also receive $25,000 (over P200 000).

 

UNESCO assistant director-general for culture Ernesto Ottone, said in a press statement that ‘the competition showcases the extraordinary cultural richness that Africa has to offer that we want to share with people all over the world, as Africa is a priority for UNESCO,’

Netflix director of content in Africa Ben Amadasun, said, “ there is a wealth of storytelling potential and talent in Africa and we at Netflix are excited to be part of this journey for more talented new voices to share their stories with the world.” ENDS