Asante Mbaimbai is passionate about film, music and the spoken word, and sees herself one day running a large, successful company representing creative talents, from acting to music.
The 23-year-old Lilongwe, Malawi, resident is completing a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies with the University of Malawi, and hopes her time at the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy will develop her professional film skills so she can make a valuable contribution to Africa's movie industry in the future.
“Africa is full of ‘big’ things: a vast continent with immense landscapes of incredible contrasts, from beaches to mountains, from deserts to wetlands and the endless, open Savannah. In Africa, you can meet people whose way of life has not changed for centuries, and witness wildlife spectacles that have followed ancient rhythms for millennia. This is what we need to show people,” she explains.
Although the young creative is aware of the challenges facing filmmakers in taking African stories to the world, and believes a lack of access to finance is the biggest problem that prevents good stories from being told correctly, or from reaching the screen at all.
Asante is personally inspired by award-winning actress, Mercy Johnson, who, she says, renders incredibly realistic portrayals of the characters she plays. She lists her, along with Majid Micheal and Dorothy Bachor as her favourite African stars.