Strengthening the Creative Industries for Development in ... - unctad

46 PART 4. SECTOR SPECIFIC OVERVIEW
The linkages between cinema and the audio-visual sector in Mozambique are extremely limited. TV
Mozambique, a public broadcaster that covers the entire country, recently started buying some
productions. However, they do outright buys, or in some cases the directors simply give the film to the
broadcaster in exchange for publicity.
Action: A priority need in this sector is the formulation of a cinema law and a broadcasting law.
Action: A funding mechanism for the film and audio-visual sector should be established. Such a fund
could largely be supplied from industry transfers within the film, audio-visual and media sector itself.
This could include contributions from broadcasters, i.e. a percentage of their overall advertising
earnings could be destined to a fund; a tax on DVD sales; a tax on blank DVDs; or a contribution from
Internet service providers or telephone companies who are or will soon be interested in providing
creative content though their services.
Action: The FEPACI could eventually be considered as a vehicle through which to create regional
structures and build cooperation within and across this sector.
The film, audio-visual and new media sector holds great potential within the creative economy in
Mozambique. This sector can be considered as a medium- and long-term target. On the one hand, there
are few training possibilities and facilities at the moment and it will take some time for things to move
forward. On the other hand, long-term possibilities exist in terms of the growing need for creative
content in all the media. There is potential for development in terms of both the national market and a
targeted international market. One main obstacle to consider is the language barrier; however, this is
not insurmountable given the rapid technological advances for translation. Given the outreach of the
Brazilian soap opera (tele-novela) industry in the country, it might be more advantageous to focus on
different aspects of creative content production. Attention should be paid to the documentary sector
where the country has a comparative advantage.
Action: Assist feasibility studies with respect to the establishment of a film and video training
institution, perhaps similar to the IMAGINE set-up in Burkina Faso by Gaston Kaboré.
Action: Assist in the identification of and contacts with international documentary distributors in the
Portuguese-speaking countries, in particular Brazil and Portugal with the aim to facilitate joint
collaborations.
Mozambique has attracted attention from international crews in search of the war-torn images offered
by Maputo’s battered, lush green streets. Hollywood productions such as Blood Diamond, Ali and The
Interpreter (respectively starring Leonardo di Caprio, Will Smith and Nicole Kidman) were shot in
Mozambique. “The problem is that in Mozambique, unfortunately, nobody is taking care of the film
industry,” said Joao Ribeiro, who is working on a new 1.3 million euro adaptation of a novel by local
author Mia Couto, backed by Portuguese investors. 112
Action: Assist government actions to streamline working permits for international film crews and
reinforce contractual arrangements and the partnership position of Mozambique for co-productions
and joint ventures.
112 AFP (2009). Mozambique film-makers turn opportunity into art. 19 March.