A not so condusive venue for a movie show—picture by Abel Ikilon, MANA
* Lack of time keeping; failing to communicate for it; overbooking for small space in trying to maximise revenue
* VIP guests who paid K100,000 weren’t just paying for a seat; they were paying for comfort, exclusivity, and a premium experience
* Instead, they found themselves stuck in the same overcrowded, delayed situation as everyone else
Maravi Express
While marveling that the quality of movie, ‘Welcome to Maula Prision’ was impressive — “a reminder that Malawi’s film industry is brimming with untapped talent” — seasoned media and marketing analyst, Greyson Chapita couldn’t resist to brutally, but truthfully highlight some exasperating tendency by Malawian event organisers as he witnessed at Sunbird Mount Soche at its premiere on Saturday.
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But before coming to that, Chapita showed disdain by the event organisers, which is the tendency of many, including some corporate and government functions that include lack of time keeping; failing to communicate for it and overbooking yet they have small space — in trying to maximise revenue.
The venue: a big let down
“It’s honestly disappointing that Malawi, despite its growing creative industry, lacks proper theaters or cinema halls to host high-profile events like movie premieres.
“Using a conference hall at Mount Soche, which likely hosts workshops and seminars during the day, meant the space wasn’t truly designed for a cinematic experience.”
Much better inside Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) Auditorium for the Lilongwe premiere
Ticketing chaos at the door
“Introducing the advance ticketing system was a smart idea, but in execution, it fell apart. At the entrance, guests were met with confusion, disorganisation, and a mini-stampede of people jostling to gain entry. An advanced system only works when it’s backed by proper management and crowd control.”
Technical nightmare of the big screen
“The most painful low of the night was the technical failure that left attendees guessing from 6pm to 9pm before the screening even began. Whether it was the screen itself or the technicians behind it, the failure to test equipment beforehand showed a serious lack of preparation.
VIP
“VIP guests who paid K100,000 weren’t just paying for a seat — they were paying for comfort, exclusivity and a premium experience. Instead, they found themselves stuck in the same overcrowded, delayed situation as everyone else.
“In my opinion with what I saw, the VIP label felt hollow and the price tag unjustified. Inali VIP ya wamba.”
Halting the premiere over alleged live streaming—geez!
“One of the most baffling moments of the night was the decision to stop the movie midway because someone was allegedly live streaming it on Facebook. Rather than pausing the entire screening, the organisers should have quietly dispatched security to handle the matter discreetly.
“It’s not difficult to spot someone actively recording; phones in the air are hard to miss.”
Greyson Chapita
However, not all was exasperating for Greyson Chapita:
Production quality
Despite the chaotic setup, once the film finally hit the screen, the production spoke for itself. Overall, quality was impressive; a reminder that Malawi’s film industry is brimming with untapped talent.
“While there were minor sound inconsistencies and a few rough edits, the visual and technical combination behind the movie is a thumbs up. I guess they will improve the few glitches before hitting the market.”
Casting
The strength of the cast is just wow! So powerful and believable acts. Indeed Malawi has got talent — the actors breathed life into the story.
“It was a proud moment for local film lovers to see such strong on-screen presentation. We are getting there.”
A solid storyline
“The movie’s storyline was well constructed, I should say. However, certain moments, like the scene at the Goodwill funeral morgue was more of a direct advertisement than natural story elements — with the talk on the funeral policy…bla, bla.
“Additionally, while the inclusion of prison awareness themes added depth, some sections felt unnecessarily stretched, making the story drag in places.”
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Lively audience
“One of the most beautiful aspects of the night was the audience itself. Despite the delays, technical hiccups, and organisational flaws, the crowd brought an infectious energy to the premiere. We laughed, cheered and jeered.
Wardrobe woes at the crew introduction
“When Kendal introduced the crew on stage, it became clear that not enough attention had been paid to their wardrobe styling — a movie premiere is not just about the film, it’s also about image, presentation, and glamour.
“Unfortunately, the crew’s appearance lacked the polish. A bit more effort in this area would have added a valuable touch of class.
Cast members at the premiere.—Picture by Abel Ikilon, MANA
Final take
The ‘Welcome to Maula Prison premiere showed just how much potential Malawi’s film industry holds, but also how much work still needs to be done.
“The talent is there; the stories are there — now, the challenge is to put everything together to match that top creative excellence.”
