22 Nov 2023

There is need for the establishment of a film commission in Botswana for the development and promotion of the film and television industry. 

This was revealed by the Director at the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture,  Dean Molebatsi during a panel discussion on Tuesday.

The moderator of the discussion, Tiro Kganela had asked him about the intention of the establishment of a film commission in Botswana at the ongoing first ever Botswana International Film Festival at the Protea Hotel. 

Molebatsi stated that the film commission was essential for attracting productions, generating economic growth, creating jobs, promoting tourism, preserving cultural heritage, and developing a thriving film and television industry in the country. 

He said it was always a challenge to change the law or policy in a certain direction and in this case, it was particularly difficult. 

Recently, he said he had a discussion with the Minister of Finance, who informed him that there is no room for new State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) as the existing ones were struggling financially. 

“My response to this was that we should shut down these SOEs and open new ones that will generate profit,” he said.

Molebatsi emphasised the importance of engaging with Members of Parliament and Ministers about the set up of the commission for this to be effective. 

“It is crucial to communicate with them in order to achieve our goals,” he said. 

A panelist from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Sonny Mokgwathi mentioned the concept of film-induced tourism, where tourists are attracted to destinations they have seen in films. 

Expanding on the promotion of film, Mokgwathi stated that they utilise filming as a means to promote tourism. 

He pointed out that many tourists visit Botswana because they have seen the locations they wish to visit on films. 

Another panelist from South Africa, Victor Senna from KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Film Commission explained that the strategy that they have adopted involved a dedicated unit focused on attracting investment in the film industry. 

The services offered under this programme, he said, included a familiarisation talk, where international producers are invited to come and experience what the province has to offer. 

He said they cover all expenses for these visits, taking the producers to various film locations available in the province. 

Additionally, he said an incentive was provided to encourage filmmakers to choose KZN as their filming destination. 

“This includes assisting with permits and engaging with municipalities to obtain the necessary permits. KZN also has a database of crew members that they share with the producers when they arrive,” he said. 

Shedding more light about what Botswana could learn from them, he said as the province, they have various incentives and agreements in place for the crew that is available in the province. “We have established Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with different establishments such as hotels and car hire companies, providing discounted rates to minimise the cost for the crew coming to the province, he said.

Furthermore, he said they had recently introduced the film investment facilitation fee, which allows productions to request additional support from them. 

“We strive to meet their needs and make their filming experience in the province as affordable as possible,” Senna added. 

To aid in promoting their film destinations, he said they had developed an online map on their website, showcasing all the available locations in the province. 

This he said allowed filmmakers to easily access information about the various filming locations from anywhere. 

“We have also utilised different festivals and international events to promote the province and highlight the benefits of shooting here,” he said.  

As for how they work with international productions, he said to promote their offerings and attract international productions, they actively participated in various festivals, events, and international gatherings. 

“Through these platforms, we showcase what KZN has to offer and highlight the benefits of choosing our province as a filming location. We are committed to lobbying and persuading filmmakers to consider our province and not let competition sway their decision,” said Senna. 

Regarding the number of productions they have in a year, on average, he said they attracted approximately three international productions to the province. 

These productions vary in terms of their budgets, but typically they have substantial funding. 

“For instance, one production might have a budget of around R500 million. We recognise that when these productions choose our province, a significant portion of their budget will be spent locally, benefiting our economy,” he said.

Another panelist, Bokang Ditlhokwa, who is the director at Ditiragalo Media said in 2012, he recognised the challenges in the film and television industry and decided to focus on the legal aspect of it. 

He said he negotiated with the government to establish a regulatory body for the industry, as he discovered that other countries had multiple bodies overseeing filmmaking activities. ENDS