27 Sep 2023

The country’s first international film festival will take place later this year in Gaborone. The festival, dedicated to promoting the film and television industry, will be held from November 20-24.

Deputy permanent secretary, in the Ministry of Youth Sport, Gender and Culture, Tebogo Matebesi announced during a press conference in Gaborone Tuesday.

The film festival will be held at Masa Square under the theme: Introductions, Capturing our Narratives. Matebesi noted that film festivals bridged the gap between traditional theatrical releases and new distribution models, premiering films destined for streaming platforms.

“While the commercial aspect of the film industry is pivotal, festivals often uphold the artistic elements of film-making, focusing on the narrative, visual aesthetics and innovation over commercial success,” he said.

He further highlighted that the festival offered participants a chance to market and generate a buzz around their films and to receive reviews of their films.

Local organising committee chairperson, Kganya Kwalate said the festival would highlight a slate of innovative films from up-and-coming filmmakers, as well as panel discussions on the art and business of film-making.

She said the ultimate goal was to help filmmakers to make inroads in the industry with mentorship workshops and professional development opportunities.

She also noted that through networking, the festival could foster connections for filmmakers that were vital throughout the entirety of their career.

Submissions for the international film festival started early this month and would conclude on independence day.

 She said filmmakers were advised to continue making their submissions at http://filmfreeway.com. ENDS