Mma Ramotswe movie buttresses South African dominance

source: Mmegi
LAWRENCE OOKEDITSE
Correspondent

The perception that Botswana is a province of South Africa is not likely to be debunked any time soon after the release of the well acclaimed No.1 Ladies Detective Agency movie series - better known as Mma Ramotswe.

For some film reviewers and locals, the fact that the actors are mostly South African is a cause of concern. "Despite being produced entirely in Botswana, however, it is surprising that certain words have been pronounced differently from local usage.

For instance, in Setswana the common address of a man as 'Rra' is pronounced 'Rae' rather than the usual form which uses a short 'a'. Also, the Setswana name Mmapula is pronounced in the series with emphasis on the short 'a', rather than on the long 'u' which most Batswana would use," the United Kingdom's Guardian film critic, Sam Wollaston wrote. The cast of [continue reading]

MmaRamotswe finally airs

source: BOPA

08 January, 2010 GABORONE - Finally, the long awaited No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series is now showing on Botswana Television (Btv) for an hour from 9:30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

According to Btv General Manager Molefhe Sejoe, the station would only broadcast seven episodes and the first one was broadcast on December 30.

Sejoe noted that it took them a while to obtain the movie despite the fact that it was filmed locally. The movie shows at night because Btv has moved its drama slot to after the 9pm news.

He said after its release those who had the financial muscle got the chance to broadcast it first while Btv had to wait and follow normal procurement processes.

However, he explained that this time around Btv was showing the movie as per the goodwill of the company that produced it.

Meanwhile, some Batswana are not happy with the long wait and the time slot.

Thato Mosipidi noted that government had not been fair to give preference to outsiders as they benefitted from the movie at the expense of [continue reading]

`The No. 1 Ladies` Detective Agency` Puts Spotlight on Botswana

source: Voice of America
By Bart Childs
Gaborone, Botswana
13 October 2009

In Gaborone, Botswana, the joint production of the HBO/BBC series "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" caused a sensation, both locally and internationally. It's the story of a young woman chasing her dreams to be a detective, the first in Botswana. But it also was a catalyst to a young film industry just getting started.

It's a story about a dream, about starting from scratch.

But it's about not Mma Ramotswe in the wildly popular books, film and TV series called the "No. 1 First Ladies' Detective Agency." It's about the film industry in Botswana itself explained Alexander McCall Smith, the author of [continue reading]

Mmaramotswe Airs On M-Net Today

source: Mmegi
Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe

Staff Writer

DStv viewers across Africa including in Botswana have the opportunity to watch one of the most acclaimed television series, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency on M-Net to night.

The pan African channel has beaten Botswana Television (Btv) to the television series, after the local channel failed to create an enabling environment for the series to be broadcast locally. The producers of the movie had requested Btv to limit its spectrum to Botswana only to ensure the series is not watched by external viewers. Btv was given that task soon after the first series was aired on BBC United Kingdom (UK), early last year.

The producers of the movie have since arranged with a [continue reading]

McCall Smith heroine writes cookbook

source: Bookseller.com
30.06.09

The heroine of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels is to challenge celebrity food writers like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson by launching her own cookbook, reports the Telegraph. Mma Ramotswe's Cookbook will be published by Polygon in November.

The cookbook, supposedly written by Precious Ramotswe, is the brainchild of Stuart Brown, a charity worker and [continue reading]

It's a Boy for Jill Scott!

source: People.com
By Tiffany McGee and Jessica Herndon
Originally posted Tuesday April 21, 2009 08:00 PM EDT

R&B singer and actress Jill Scott and her fiancé, drummer Lil John Roberts, have welcomed their first child, a boy, her manager confirms to PEOPLE.

Jett Hamilton Roberts was born at 4:20 p.m. on April 20. He weighed in at 7 lbs., 8 oz.

Scott, who stars on HBO's new series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, based on the popular novels by Alexander McCall Smith, discovered she was pregnant shortly before leaving for Botswana to film the show.

"At one point I was trying to gain weight for the role, and I noticed I had put on 7 lbs. in 7 days. And I thought, my god! What's going on here," she tells PEOPLE. "I thought something was wrong with me, and I found out I was [continue reading]

Agency` In best drama series at the Emmys

source: Botswana Gazette

Written by Botswana Gazette online

Friday, 27 March 2009 00:00

There's been some confusion among Emmy-watchers over whether HBO's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," which debuts on March 29, will compete at the Emmys as a miniseries or a drama series. HBO's Emmy gurus tell Gold Derby that it will qualify in the drama series lineup since the program has more than the requisite six episodes airing during the Emmy eligibility period - the network will air seven. "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" stars American R&B singer-actress Jill Scott as "fat and fabulous" Precious Ramotswe, who's devoted to solving crimes in Botswana, and Anika Noni Rose (Tony Award winner for "Caroline - Or Change" and star of the film version of "Dreamgirls") as her hyper, officious assistant. The show had a successful launch on the BBC in the U.K. over the last week, drawing more than 5 million TV viewers. One reviewer for the London Times offered praise, as he put it, giving it three out of five stars. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly gives it a [continue reading]