Working under the creative name and brand Yoweli Chungu Filimu (YCF), Director Joel Kapungwe reimagines the world of film and storytelling.
The Zambian television and film producer works with over 300 young and upcoming artists and develops their talents through YCF before they seek out a place in the creative world.
YCF is a five-year project aimed at creating employment for young people living in peri-urban townships and rural areas in Zambia. YCF provides mentorship and creative arts skills development to marginalised youth, steering them away from alcohol abuse and drugs.
The ‘Dancers of the God’ producer grew up in a shanty compound where his active imagination developed on the dirt roads of Chilenje.
The self-taught filmmaker used Google and YouTube to educate himself about filmmaking and writing for film and has won local awards for short experimental films which explore various topics such as homosexuality, drug and alcohol abuse. He believes that his interest in film began when he received a donated camera from his grandfather.
Kapungwe attributes his success to his late mother, who introduced him to reading novels at the age of 13.
Kapungwe is determined to contribute towards shaping a new generation of talented young people who are willing to learn how to master their natural talents to change their circumstances and those of the people around them.
