Everyone must dream. We dream to give ourselves hope says Jessie Chisi.
Chisi is unique, a self-motivated, creative and hardworking young woman in the field of arts and media. She is the founder and director of Zambia short film festival and initiator of young cinema in Zambia.
“Both my parents are deceased and I am the first and only child of my mother and two young half-brothers from my father. I was raised by my aunty Betty Chisi and grandfather both who wanted me to go to university and study the leading courses. They never believed that my passion lied in film making this was because they never believed filmmaking was my great career of choice.” she says.
“Both my parents are deceased and I am the first and only child of my mother and two young half-brothers from my father. I was raised by my aunty Betty Chisi and grandfather both who wanted me to go to university and study the leading courses. They never believed that my passion lied in film making this was because they never believed filmmaking was my great career of choice.” she says.
She says she has always been fascinated by the world of motion since childhood.
“I have a background in storytelling and literature from high school. Since childhood I was always fascinated by the world of motion pictures and how the characters on screen seemed so real. When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I could say I wanted to be an author. My guardians at home considered it as not a serious career. Many of my peers and those who knew me as young girl at 16, thought claiming to be a filmmaker in future was a far-fetched dream. Many could laugh at me and called me names. ”she says.
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Chisi says she was ready to pay a price to follow her dream.
“In 2006 I studied purchasing and supply and research methodology at the Unza’s extension studies, career suggested to me by my aunt. Even though I often emerged best in class, I was never happy and content. I knew my heart laid in story telling and filmmaking. Secretly I could sneak and go gather with local filmmakers Catherine Kaseketi and Sakafunya Chinyinka one of the first people that introduced me to the world of filmmaking and were training me at that time. I knew I took a risk and I very ready to pay the price if worst had happened. Guess what? One of the ironic things that happened was getting a passport and believed that one day I would travel and put on occupation as a film director and screen writer even though I never made any film.” She says.
She says at the age of 17 she directed her first film.
“Like every dreamer, I started chasing mine. I started reading on film literature and I was exposed to both local and international films training. The knowledge gained made me eager to want to learn and practice more of new learned skills. At age of 17, I directed a film Chisoni written by my friend Becky Ngoma. It was a story about a girl who had epilepsy and its myths. It was from this background that the courage to become a filmmaker for me became too strong that I could not afford to ignore it. I then made up my mind and decide I was going to become a film maker and decided to stop studying purchasing and supply and research methods in the third stage of the course and followed my heart to improve my craft and become consistent at it.” she says.
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She says she has written film scripts for both short and feature films.
“In 2009 I won a scholarship to go to Finland in Helsinki to be trained in film producing and directing. While in Finland, I worked on various productions). In 2010 I was selected at talent and the Durban talent campus’s film mart and this very year I was also selected in Germany berlin talent campus in doc station where I got the best promising pitched film. I have written films over 10 films scripts both short and feature films and have directed 6 short films. I am proud to say I have finished making my training-graduating project “Woman on a hold” a story of Zambia’s first female boxer Esther Phiri a documentary film that I co-wrote and directed with Finnish film director Salla Sorri. A Finland - Zambia co-production film. This film is scheduled for 2014 and opens at biggest European documentary film network for first opening screening in the Netherland and then Zambia after.” She says.
She says her main achievement is initiating a Young Cinema in Zambia last year.
“My greatest achievements include initiating Young Cinema in Zambia in 2013 together with Euphoria Borealis a film-training platform that has been set to inspire and encourage young people to practice and take up the role of film making as tool for entrepreneurship. I also initiated Zambia short film festival. A festival set to groom talents and help the film industry grow into sustainable industry. These two project young cinema in Zambia and film festival are talking place in between September 22 and the latter is taking place on 13 October 2014 and is funded by the Finnish Foreign Ministry. I have also worked as a trainee director on South African’s leading soap Generations.” She says.
“It is our role as young people and leaders to help nation lift our flag and the face of our nation with dignity and pride. I envision Zambian films competing with other films internationally with its diversity stories and put our national history and heritage on the world map.” She says.
“I would want people to remember me as a lady who attributed her courage and strength as blessings from God.” She says
Believe in your dreams to give yourself some hope. It is that simple, you can do it.
For comments; mwenyamuleba@gmail.com/ 0966 461 943/0950 594 050
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