25 Jun 2023

 The Cinematography Act is being reviewed to align it with international best practice and standard.

Addressing filmmakers and producers in Francistown recently, Programmes Officer from the Film Office under the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture (MYSC), Eric Paulo explained that the law has been overtaken by events since its inception in 1970. The revised Act will be presented before the coming session of Parliament. Among other improvements, the Act seeks to establish the Film Commission of Botswana (FCB), which will regulate the film industry and the work of filmmakers.

“The FCB speaks to the commerce of the film and television production in Botswana,” Mr Paulo explained.

Paulo said though the film and television industry in Botswana is still relatively small, current trends indicate that it holds a lot of promise.

Chairperson of the Film and Television Association of Botswana, Prince Monna appealed to the filmmakers to desist from duplicating what others have already produced. He explained that the film and television industry has potential to create many jobs, and emphasised that to grow the sector further practitioners need to come up with new and innovative stories. Monna disclosed that MYSC is currently collecting data on the film industry in terms of the industry practitioners, administrators, as well as film and video companies, amongst others.

Content Aggregator in the Film Office, Legae Digwaamaje urged film producers to work as a team to address the problem of lack of equipment.

He explained that collaboration saves funds and it makes it easier to secure sponsorship.

“Collaboration brings about effectiveness in creation because when like-minded people collaborate, they are guaranteed to produce good content,” he asserted.

Some of the filmmakers welcomed establishment of the Botswana International Film Festival, which is to be inaugurated in November, and hoped that the festival will create a networking platform as well as help to professionalise and commercialise the local film industry. ENDS