CREATING IMPACT THROUGH MY SKILLS
His Excellency, Anthony Carmona, a Trinidadian politician, and former High Court Judge, who served as the fifth President of Trinidad and Tobago from 2013 to 2018, once emphasized, “Do not let where you come from define you, but never forget the values you learned from your close community.
Indeed, this statement is now clearer than ever and resonates with humanity, especially in our rapidly changing world. One person who identifies with this is Emmanuel Mwape. Emmanuel, a multi award-winning Filmmaker, is a MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumnus who has defied many odds to make his mark in the film industry in Zambia and the world.
Emmanuel grew up in the lively community of Misisi Compound in Lusaka, Zambia. Misisi Compound is one of Zambia’s largest shanty towns, estimated to have more than 10,000 inhabitants. According to Wikipedia, Misisi is ranked as one of the five worst slums in Sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by overcrowding, poor sanitation, high unemployment rates, and inadequate drainage systems leading to regular flooding.
Despite the challenges we faced, including drug abuse in the community, my upbringing was enriched by vibrant community activities. My parents, Dorothy Kalaba and Alex Mwape, instilled in me strong values, while Sundays in Sunday school fueled my passion for the arts through recitations and sketches, recalls Emmanuel.
The community screen cinemas and my involvement in Sunday school arts activities sparked in me a great love for film. These experiences showed me the power of storytelling through various aspects of art, from acting in church plays to school plays, igniting a desire in me to pursue filmmaking as a career, says Emmanuel.
Fast-forward to the future, owing to his love for film, Emmanuel was courageous enough to apply to be a part of the MTF academy, to acquire and develop his skills in film and the business of film. Since graduating from MTF, Emmanuel’s career has been marked by numerous achievements and areas of growth. His career has evolved from directing school productions to creating award-winning short films and documentaries.
My portfolio showcases my versatility as a filmmaker, and I use my talent and skills that I acquired from MTF to involve myself in projects that give back and impact my community in a positive way. I believe that working on social issues underscores my commitment to using film as a tool for advocacy and social change,says Emmanuel. Through his social impact projects, Emmanuel has received accolades at international film festivals. Besides sharing his talent to create change in the community, Emmanuel’s work is notable in various projects including “Saul,” his debut feature film, and award-winning short films like “Wrath,” “Confession,” “Saving Chalo,” Sex, “Zambian Cab, and Silverlining.
I’ve also been involved in documentaries for the United States Department through the Mandela Washington Fellows program. Additionally, I served as the First Director of Photography for Zambezi Magic’s comedy show, “Uncle Limbani,” during both season one and two, adds Emmanuel.
I am still growing as a filmmaker, but I must say that I am grateful that I have been fortunate to receive several awards and nominations throughout my career. One notable nomination was for an Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), for my role as a director on “Silver Lining,” and it was such a humbling experience to be recognized among industry greats. Competing with them for an Award of Best Southern African Film was a great milestone.
On being nominated for an AMVCA, Emmanuel said the experience was surreal and immensely gratifying. It validates the hard work, dedication, and creativity that went into the film that he was nominated. The recognition from such a prestigious platform not only affirmed the quality of my work but also provided invaluable exposure and opportunities for further growth and recognition, says Emmanuel.
The film Silver Lining has also seen me win awards around the world such as Scorpius Fest (USA), Deccan International, Cine Carnival (USA), Indian Independent Film Festival (India), Five Continents International Film Festival (UK), Crown Wood International Film Festival (UK), beams Emmanuel.
Emmanuel further says, my other films such as Zambian Cab, Sex, Confession, Helping Chalo have seen me win awards at more than 20 international film festivals and with over 100 film festivals around the world, including notable festivals such as the Helsinki International Film Festival (Finland), Realtime International Film Festival (Nigeria), Cambridge international Film Festival (UK), Moja Itaila Film Festival (Italy) just to mention a few. Locally, I have won awards at the Sotambe Film Festival, gained multiple ZAFTA Nominations for best short film and at Zambia Short Film Festival, before I became the director of the festival.
Emmanuel is currently the director of Zambia Short Film Festival and The Film Lab Challenge, which is a brainchild of the Young Cinemas in Zambia, founded by renowned filmmaker Jessie Chisi. Through working on this project, Emmanuel hopes to further impact society and to inspire young filmmakers to develop their skills and tell compelling stories.
There is no limit with what you can do. You can become anything in the world as long as you work hard and believe in yourself. I have learned and acquired a lot of skills from MTF and through it, my film career has grown greatly, and I encourage young aspiring filmmakers to join MTF and get an invaluable opportunity to kickstart their careers in the film industry through comprehensive training, mentorship, and exposure to industry professionals, providing a solid foundation for aspiring filmmakers to hone their skills and realize their creative potential, says Emmanuel