By Brian Itai
Filmmakers Association president Dorothy Kingston has hailed the support private companies provide to the local film industry.
Her remarks follow the announcement of the imminent reopening of the Apollo Cinema in Blantyre which closed shop in 1996.
Apollo and newly formed Amaryllis Hospitality Group (AHG) have partnered to open the cinema.
The partnership also includes an alliance with other companies such as Entertainers Promotions (EP), Ayiya LED and Apolllo Vistarama who will be offering different services within the setup.
Kingston said the reopening will help ease problems of suitable venues for hosting movie screenings, theatre events and promote a cinema culture in Malawi.
鈥淲hen we have private companies coming together to push for initiatives such as these, it is a signal of goodwill and support to the film and cinema industry. This will go a long way in promoting local film productions,鈥 she said.
According to one of the partners Reyeaz Rashid Hassam, the Apollo Auditorium is expected to be fully operational by this month end as the final phase of renovation and system installation is underway.
He said soft launches and trial events will begin by the end of this month.
Hassam said this is a collaborative initiative led by the strategic alliance partners. He said AHG will be responsible for overseeing operational management while EP will coordinate live entertainment and show production.
Ayiya LED Limited will be providing state-of-the-art LED technology, digital screens and visual installations while Apollo Vistarama will be focused on creative direction and multimedia content curation, according to Hassam.
The curators said Apollo will become Blantyre鈥檚 premier venue for both business and entertainment by offering corporate conferences, film screenings, cinema experiences, live music performances, cultural and theatre shows, exhibitions, fashion shows and community events.
AHG managing director Ramy Waheed said in an interview the project is part of the vision under their restructured AHG company.
He said they have come in because they believe that there is a gap on the market.
Waheed said: 鈥淲e have come with a vision and unveiled the company and showed that we are not only dreamers who are talking about vision, but also actualising those dreams.
鈥淲e want to build on a legacy of excellence from the iconic Amaryllis Hotel Blantyre. The group is now poised to expand its operations across Malawi, offering comprehensive hotel management and strategic marketing services.鈥
AHG was launched during a glamorous event which took place at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre on Thursday evening. Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule graced the launch.