TDA to premier The Sword of Mochudi 2 movie soon

The Dow Academy (TDA) will be premiering its second movie dubbed, The Sword of Mochudi 2 next weekend. This comes after part one of the movie did pretty well and got recognition internationally.

Speaking during a press conference in Mochudi on Friday, TDA chief information officer, Doru Aldea Visa said part two of the short movie was born after getting positive feedback from the first movie.

He added that when shooting the first movie, they were doing it for fun together with the children.

He explained that after it got recognition both internationally and locally, they realised that their learners had immense talent and therefore decided to shoot its second part.

He said TDA is aimed at producing multi talented young people who would also be problem solvers.

He added that they wanted their learners to explore other creative art activities that would enable them to put food on the table.

He said their school was the first and only basic education school in Africa to own the biggest tele-radio station.

For his part, the director of the movie, Ian Venganai, said the second installment was a testament that dreams could come true with a little bit of courage, creativity and community participation. He explained that part two was a prequel to the first installment and provided the audience with the introduction of the Malachites who came to seek refuge on planet earth.

It is scheduled to launch on March 12, 2022 at New Capitol Cinema in Acacia mall, Phakalane. The film stars include TDA learners, staff and the owner, Unity Dow.

“The film imagines the last royal member of the Matsieng Kingdom, a princess who must guard a sword that has been passed down over generations. It is the sword of Mochudi because that is the current name of the place where Matsieng emerged when he first came into the esrth’s surface. The first film took us by surprise as this passion project gained international recognition in Italy at The Golden Short Film Festival 2021. The movie earned three nominations in the category if Golden Actress for Palesa Motshai, a standard six pupil, who plays the main character the princess, Golden Actor for Marshall Dxikitu who is TDA PE teacher and myself for the Golden Editing.

This official selection into the festival opened more opportunities with Kweli TV in the United States of America and placement on the UPIC TV catalogue,” he said.

He disclosed that through various programmes offered at the institution such as tele-radio station, TDA media club, robotics, newspaper and journalism, their students receive hands on experience from the facility’s fellows who are experts in those fields. Moreover, he explained that the short film was inspired by the story of Lowe and Matsieng, the giant brothers who according to Setswana myth lived in the belly of the earth.

He said when preparing for the film, he gave the learners a homework to research and come up with ideas of what language to use and what to wear.

That was when they came up with consumes and the alien language to make the film even scariest and unique.

He added that he was working with the children in creating films because of passion since he had no privilege to follow his dream at a young age since his parents did not allow him to. He further encouraged parents to let their children follow their dreams whilst working hard academically as that would give them many options on how to make a living once grown.

The film was shot in Mochudi both at the school and some scenes at Matsieng Footprint.

Their school was the first and only basic education school in Africa to own the biggest tele-radio

station.