By Agatha Kadzinje

Blantyre, January 7, Mana: Newly elected President of the Film Association of Malawi (FAMA), Dorothy Kingston, has raised hopes of advancing Malawi’s film industry and increasing its visibility.

Film Association of Malawi held its leadership elections on January 5, 2025, at the Golden Peacock Hotel, Lilongwe.

Speaking to the Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Tuesday, Kingstone said her leadership aims to bring long-awaited changes to the country’s art industry.

“I am excited and deeply honored that people have chosen me as their president for FAMA. I look forward to collaborating with professionals from various fields, such as production, editing, and scriptwriting, in Malawi. I was elected for my leadership skills, not my acting abilities, and I intend to operate like any effective leader,” she said.

Kingston described FAMA as a ‘single ship’ that has existed for nearly fourteen years without being fully operational or registered as an association.

She revealed that FAMA plans to establish regional offices across the country to act as its eyes and ears, making it easier for people to connect with the association.

Kingston acknowledged that Malawi’s film industry faces challenges, particularly due to the absence of a dedicated proposal-writing committee, which hampers its ability to compete globally.

“We lack the capacity to convince stakeholders to fund film production. This results in low-quality films due to limited resources. To address this, FAMA will establish a committee to source funding and build sustainable relationships. This will help FAMA transition from being a resource-seeking entity to becoming a revenue generator,” she explained.

Kingston also encouraged Malawians in the arts industry to join the association and participate in its activities.

Social commentator Humphrey Mvula told MANA that Malawians expect a lot from the new leadership, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the association’s credibility and ensuring its representatives positively reflect the industry.

“The film industry in Malawi is still in its infancy and must grow gradually and not rush to achieve significant progress. It should align with Malawi’s cultural values rather than adopting foreign cultures solely to accelerate development,” Mvula said.

He commended the election of Dorothy Kingstone as president and Gilbert Moyo as vice president, urging the leaders to remain neutral and independent.

“They must support constructive initiatives from both the government and opposition while objectively critiquing issues through the arts. Their neutrality will be crucial in fostering trust and credibility,” he added.

Film Association of Malawi was established in 2011 with the goal of bringing together and coordinating persons and groups involved in the production and promotion of films in Malawi.