Film associations say project has sidelined Batswana professionals and has not delivered any meaningful benefits, calling on govt to scrap the multimillion-pula deal.
TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
The Botswana Film Association (BOFIA) and the Botswana Screen Society (BSS)
have raised serious concerns about the Botswana Ignite initiative, a project founded by former president Mokgweetsi Masisi and American entertainer Steve Harvey aimed at cultivating skilled professionals to produce high-quality local content and attract international productions.
According to the two organizations, the initiative has received millions in government funding in a three year contract.
However, critics say the project has sidelined Batswana professionals and failed to deliver meaningful benefits to the local film community.
Poorly executed
Former president Masisi, whose government spearheaded the deal, lost power in recent elections. The local filmmakers are now calling on the new government to scrap the initiative, describing it as poorly executed and unfair to the local creative industry.
Botswana Ignite’s first major project, Family Feud Botswana Edition, has garnered significant attention. In early October, Steve Harvey told a press briefing at Mass Media Complex in Gaborone that 12 of the planned 26 episodes had been filmed and were set to air later this year.
“We’re making significant progress and I believe we’ll finish in a matter of weeks,” he said before praising the intelligence and professionalism of Batswana and the government.
Lack of suitable studios
“I’ve never worked with such educated people in Africa. Everyone I’ve worked with here is either a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, or an accountant. This shows your government is doing well, especially with free education.”
However, Harvey admitted that the show was being filmed in South Africa because of Botswana’s lack of suitable studio facilities. “The Mass Media Complex has impressive facilities but the space isn’t large enough for a show like Family Feud,” he said.
“You have the land at the complex, and I encourage you to seek funding from your President to build larger studios that could support Hollywood-calibre productions.”
Sparked anger
This statement sparked anger among local filmmakers who argue that Botswana’s money is being spent in South Africa instead of developing the country’s own infrastructure.
Local industry sidelined
At a joint press conference of BOFIA and BSS in Gaborone this week, a BOFIA executive committee member in Mandla Mogomotsi accused the previous government of sidelining local industry players when the initiative was launched.
“This project was forced on us as a ‘presidential initiative,’” Mogomotsi said. “We were told, ‘It’s either you’re in or you’re out because the train is moving.’
“Local filmmakers were desperate (and) we had no choice but to participate. Yes, some Batswana are involved in Botswana Ignite, but they are being paid peanuts.”
After change of government
Mogomotsi criticised Botswana Ignite’s recent attempts to engage with the film community that came after the change of government, describing them as insincere.
“Under Masisi’s government, we were ignored,” he asserted. “Now, all of a sudden, they want to engage with us. It feels like a reaction to the recent change of government. We are not used to being engaged but rather addressed.”
The Secretary of BOFIA, Carol Keosedile, concurred with Mogomotsi that Botswana Ignite has disrespected and undermined local talent. “This project treats us as though we are unskilled,” she said.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
“We have highly-trained filmmakers who worked on productions like The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Yet Botswana Ignite is bringing in South African AFDA students to do basic crew work that Batswana are more than qualified for.”
Keosedile disclosed that a position paper outlining Botswana Ignite’s plans was submitted to the government in 2021 but was only shared with local filmmakers last week. “It’s clear that the people making decisions about our industry are not skilled,” she said.
She described Botswana Ignite’s training programmes as repetitive and unnecessary. “We’ve already been trained on the job by international productions,” she said. “We’re now subjected to basic workshops that repeat what we already know.”
“We’re told there’s no money”
Filmmakers also criticised the government’s decision to allocate millions to Botswana Ignite while neglecting other industry needs.
“We’re told there’s no money for filmmakers to attend critical residencies abroad but half a billion pula is being spent on this project,” Keosedile said.
She pointed to the rebranding of Now channel, originally envisioned as a platform for local productions, as another failure.
“Now Channel was taken from us and renamed Btv2 so that it could air Botswana Ignite’s content. Instead, it just repeats news and old programmes.”
Boiling point
She questioned the rationale for prioritising Botswana Ignite over existing industry needs. “How can the government justify spending such a large sum on a project that doesn’t benefit local filmmakers?” she queried.
The frustration among filmmakers has reached boiling point, with many seeing the recent change in government as an opportunity for reform.
Mogomotsi expressed optimism that the new administration will listen to their concerns. “The time is now,” he said. “God has come to rescue us, and this new leadership can save our industry by stopping this project.”
Enriching South Africa
Keosedile called on the government to redirect funds to grassroots development and infrastructure. “We need investment in local studios, training programmes, and platforms that prioritise Batswana talent,” she said.
She also criticised the initiative’s reliance on South African resources. “Why is it okay to spend Botswana’s money in South Africa but not the other way around? This project is enriching South Africa while leaving us behind,” she said.
The filmmakers’ demands reflect broader issues in Botswana’s creative industries, including inadequate funding, lack of infrastructure, and limited opportunities for local talent.
While Botswana Ignite was intended to address some of these challenges, its implementation has left many feeling excluded and undervalued.