Mzansi Bioskop debuts youth movie festival

South African channel Mzansi Bioskop has premiered the Young Bloods Movie Festival aimed at showcasing youths who have filmmaking talents.

Now in its third year, the festival is for young people who dream of making a film one day and having the idea that they can end up being sought-after film directors or producers.

Shirley Adonisi, M-Net’s channel director for local interest channels said: “Filmmaking has always been seen as reserved for the experienced, well-connected, and those with money to acquire the necessary equipment and maybe studio time. However, with the Young Bloods Movie Festival, we are zoning in on the talent that so many young and aspiring filmmakers are demonstrating lately.

“At Mzansi Bioskop, our objective is not only to showcase the best of our locally produced content but also to use this platform to inspire, help develop, and nurture young talent. These are the production companies that may end up being content creators and suppliers for many similar platforms.”

From this week until March 31, Mzansi Bioskop viewers can see titles like Madumane, produced by Leburugraphy, and Pakiso High, produced by Kerry Productions.

Mapitso Ralephatha, Madumane executive producer, said: “This production taps into the pulse of youth culture, music, and storytelling while simultaneously offering a joyful and meaningful experience. We got a chance to collaborate with emerging talent in the film industry who are making their mark, which led to fresh perspectives and innovative storytelling. We are grateful to the Mzansi team for believing in us and supporting our narratives.”

Mzansi Bioskop’s Young Blood Movie Festival can be watched on Sundays at 19:00 on DStv Channel 164 and on Mzansi Magic channel 161 on Saturdays at 20:00.