The SOTAMBE International Film and Arts Festival (SOTAMBE IFAF) – organised annually by the SOTAMBE Film Institute (SFI) – is currently the biggest film festival in Zambia promoting filmmakers from Southern African Region. The 7th edition of the Festival is scheduled to take place online from 22 – 26 September 2020 under the theme ‘Arts for A Living’. This year the film festival received over 200 film submissions from Zambia and the Southern African region.
“Aligning it with our theme for 2020 we decided to go a bit further and establish the SOTAMBE National Film Fund that would help filmmakers to access funds and make their productions easier. Further, the Fund would help them with film distribution strategies in order to generate money,” said Martina Mwanza, SFI Managing Director. This project is a first of its kind in Zambia and a pilot project for the SOTAMBE Film Institute.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SOTAMBE Film Institute was negatively impacted: “As a result, we have had to deal with a drastic reduction in sponsorships for this year’s edition,” said Mwanza. “We would like to thank all the sponsors that supported us even in the difficult times.”