We all live in a fantasy world; we all try to hide our real characters and that is the message that Malawian film maker, Michael Usi, is putting across in his new movie ‘Living On Perfume’ that premieres in Blantyre on August 1.

Usi, popularly known in Malawian film circles as Manganya, said in an exclusive interview that his new movie was showcasing some of the human vices that people tend to hide. “People tend to feign their real characters. [Many] times people hide their real character because they need to survive, and that is exactly what I am exposing in my new film. I want to teach people that we have to live as our real selves, not in a sheep’s skin while we are wolves” he said.

Usi said he decided to call his movie ‘Living On Perfume’ as perfume tends to hide the very bad odors of a human being. “The title was conceptualized from the very formula of why people use perfumes. The idea is to hide their natural born odors with a very tantalizing smell that can deceive some one and that is where the whole concept of living on perfume comes from, “he said.

He said the film touches on various social issues ranging from family lives where he said more couples maintain their affairs blind to the political scene where he said there is a lot of deceit. “People cheat in their families and are never caught by their partners; politicians lie because they want to maintain power. In all these situations there is an individual that has to have blind loyalty and that is exactly what the message in ‘Living On Perfume’ is, making it a must watch movie, “he said.

He disclosed that apart from using local Malawian actors he has also involved some actors from the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden and Burundi that are featuring in the movie who are also to be part of the premiere party that is also to involve live performances of Malawian traditional dances.

“I would like to promote Malawian arts and culture and that is why I have involved some international artists in the movie, “he said. He, however, was quick to point out that Malawian movie industry will continue to remain in the background if players in the sector are not united.

“A film is not just about taking a video camera and shooting motion
pictures, it is a skill that needs a lot of talent and Malawi has that talent but we have been failing to glow because everyone wants to work by himself, “he said.

Usi revealed that he had hope that the situation might soon change as the country is expected to have a number of film seminars in early 2010 that are to be facilitated by Hollywood script writer, Josh Weakly.