African films televised in nine countries

Melusi Yeni who plays Themba and Tango Ncetezo who plays Gabaza in the SA film - Secrets and Lies.

These nine films for television tell stories within an emotional time of HIV/AIDS. They are being televised in different languages at prime time and are suitable for family viewing. Each stand alone film is 24 minutes long.

According to Harriet Perlman, head of Soul City's regional programme, “Southern Africa has the highest HIV infection rates in the world and now more than ever we need to act together, to stem its tide. "Untold," is a remarkable series of short films for TV, written and produced by local writers and filmmakers from this region. It is part of a ground-breaking cross-border health communication project, led by the Soul City Institute, which is working with partners in eight southern African countries to tackle HIV and Aids.”

The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication is a South African NGO, which uses mass media in ways to impact positively on the quality of life, health and well-being of people. It offers multimedia edutainment that integrates health and development issues into prime time television and radio dramas, supported by print material and advocacy. It also works regionally with local partners in nine SADC countries. The regional model aims to create a regional network of health communicators, who share best practice, resources, skills and ideas across countries.

The project is the largest locally developed prevention communication programme in Africa, developing and unearthing new talent in the film industry. Filmmakers and writers across the region attended an intensive eighteen-month accredited training course in scriptwriting and drama film production in an effort to make films that are said to break new ground and both entertain and educate. Quality scripts with dramatic story lines have been researched and tested with the target audience.

Perlman continued, “We are aiming to stop an epidemic that involves changing complex patterns of human behaviour, in particular, sexual behaviour. This is not quickly done with simple messages. Through drama it's possible to deal with the journey of complex characters, facing complex choices whilst entertaining and educating.”

“We need to reach people with authentic, local stories: stories that jog our deepest beliefs and fears, touch our hearts, get us talking and challenge us to reflect on our own lives and the lives of the people around us. Television is an important vehicle for reaching large audiences and has the potential to contribute significantly to Africa's development. We need to create opportunities for local filmmakers to develop their skills to tell new stories and grow the local content of quality dramas on television across the region.”

“HIV and AIDS does not respect borders,” says John Molefe, head of public affairs at Soul City. “Our success in curtailing the epidemic depends on a co-ordinated regional response, not only to share best practice but also to ensure synergy of health messages.”

Local country programmes:

• Botswana: Choose Life
  
• Lesotho: Phela
  
• Malawi: Pakachere
  
• Mozambique: N'weti
  
• Namibia: Desert Soul
  
• Swaziland: Lusweti
  
• South Africa: Soul City
  
• Zambia: Kwatu
  
• Zimbabwe: Action

The series is sponsored by BP, Royal Netherlands Embassy, European Union, DFID and Irish Aid.