FSG offers a treat for local filmmakers

LEHLOHONOLO LEBILETSA

MASERU – The commencement of filmmaking capacitation in the country is likely to be the revival of its dead theatre and cinema life.

And after ages without cinemas in any of the country’s towns, joy seems definite for Basotho film lovers and filmmakers as the Film Sector Ground Breakers Lesotho (FSG) is organizing a programme that will bring together the public and the film production community interested in making and watching films.

FSG is a registered company based in Maseru with the sole objective of facilitating the film industry development in the country. Aubrey Silinyana, a South African filmmaker, partnering with Tlali Tlali a Mosotho businessman, birthed it in 2019.

The film company is set to organize social events of film screenings and facilitate networking opportunities for its members and invite film and television industry gurus to run various workshops.

In April this year, the company will launch its first ‘film industry shakeup workshop’, which is a four-day workshop that is meant for everybody who is interested being a part of the film industry. In that workshop, experts in the film industry will be invited in order to equip film lovers with the necessary know-how in the film field.

The first workshop to kick-start the film club will be headed by Aubrey Silinyana in association with three other young Basotho film sector gurus who are Mamokone Liphoto, Habofanoe Letsosa as well as Khetsi Rapita.

In an interview with Life&Style, Silinyana said it has always been his heart’s desire to bring about some developments in the country’s film industry since there are a lot of Basotho filmmakers who need a platform to showcase their talents.

“There is a lot of fresh blood in Lesotho craving a platform to prove their capabilities; a programme like this is therefore created for such. Apart from that, there are others who are interested in film but unfortunately, they could not make it to institutes of higher learning. If they join in on the programme, they will be given some training from experts in the field,” he explained.

“Also, I know the joy of watching a good movie with friends over popcorn. That feeling surpasses human understanding and we are trying to bring it to Basotho who are film fanatics. Our main purpose is to fashion an entertainment mood that will also be educational at the same time,” he added.

On the other hand, Silinyana explained that though the film club will only be in Maseru, it has been split into four branches in order to reach a wider population. There will be a film club in Ha Thetsane, one in Maseru central, the other in Khubetsoana and Main South I Road respectively.

He further explained that the bigger picture is for the film industry in Lesotho to grow exponentially, to an extent that other districts can also engage in the program by having their own film clubs.

Meanwhile, the film industry has gradually been growing in Lesotho with the introduction of schools like Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and platforms like Sesotho media and development, Sekhankula Agency and Leawa film festival playing a tremendous role in the growth of film.