Another cohort of 20 young film and television professionals has graduated from the West Africa MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy in Lagos – the region;s premier film-training institution.

How does a great African film go from a spark of an idea to a fully realised production on Mzansi Magic? For most young filmmakers, the journey is long, expensive, and often out of reach. But for alumni of the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), the Extended Cut programme is changing that story by transforming promising concepts into broadcast-ready films through a clear, empowering, and fiercely practical production pipeline.

Film can uniquely express the hopes and aspirations of the continent's people. Mentorship helps young creators express their vision – and touch as many lives as possible, writes MTF East Africa academy director Victoria Goro.

Perhaps the greatest empowerment tools for overcoming inequality and freeing the world's marginalised people from poverty are literacy and knowledge. Knowledge improves lives.