Malawian podcast producer and sound storyteller Dennis Imaan has been selected for the 2026 Sound Documentary International Intensive Summer Programme at the École nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière in France. Taking place from 13 July to 28 August 2026, the seven-week residency brings together emerging audio professionals from around the world for advanced training in sound documentary, recording and radio production. Supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the programme combines practical training with the production of an original documentary and professional exchanges with leading figures in the French audio sector.
Ahead of his departure for France, Dennis spoke about his journey into audio storytelling, what the residency means to him, and how he hopes to use the experience to strengthen documentary storytelling in Malawi.
Why did you apply for the Louis-Lumière residency?
I reached a point in my journey where I realised that passion alone is not enough. I needed the technical mastery to match my ambition.
For years, I have been recording voices in markets, villages and community halls across Malawi, telling stories that deserve to be heard beyond our borders. But I knew I was only scratching the surface of what sound can achieve.
The Louis-Lumière programme is internationally recognised for its approach to documentary storytelling. I wanted to learn from some of the best practitioners so I can return home with stronger skills and help develop a new generation of African audio storytellers.
How did you feel when you found out you had been selected?
I still pinch myself.
I was sitting at home in Lilongwe when I received the email. I read it three times before texting my mother: “We are going to Paris.”
It felt surreal, humbling and deeply validating. More than anything, it reminded me that the stories I have been telling, and the voices I have been amplifying, deserve to be part of a wider conversation.
What are you looking forward to most?
The immersion.
For seven weeks, sound becomes the focus. I am excited to learn, experiment and grow alongside people who care deeply about documentary storytelling.
I am also looking forward to meeting radio producers, sound artists and cultural professionals from across Europe. Those conversations could lead to collaborations that bring more African stories to international audiences.
This will be your first time in France. What does that mean to you?
It means a great deal.
This will be my first visit to France and my first time in Europe. I am arriving with open eyes, open ears and an open heart.
Paris has always been a dream destination. To experience it through something I care so deeply about makes the opportunity even more meaningful.
You previously participated in the Sound Waves podcast training programme. How did that experience influence your work?
Sound Waves was a turning point.
It introduced me to new recording techniques, ethical approaches to storytelling and, most importantly, the value of listening.
Not listening simply to record someone’s words, but listening to understand them. That lesson has stayed with me and continues to shape every interview and every story I produce.
Your work often focuses on governance, culture and democracy. What draws you to these subjects?
I believe storytelling is a tool for accountability.
Through the Lab20 Podcast, I explore governance, culture and democracy by creating space for honest conversations with people whose experiences are often overlooked. Good storytelling can help us understand one another, ask better questions and imagine different possibilities.
What do you hope to do after the residency?
I want to bring what I have learned back to Malawi.
My hope is to become a better architect of stories and to share those skills with other creators. Through initiatives such as Influencer Malawi and my wider work in the creative sector, I want to help build a generation of audio storytellers who know that their voices matter and have the skills to make them heard.
Finally, what does it mean to represent Malawi through this residency?
It is both an honour and a responsibility.
I hope to represent Malawi with curiosity, humility and a willingness to learn. At the same time, I want people to see that there is extraordinary creativity here, and that our stories deserve to be heard alongside those from anywhere else in the world.
When I return home, I want to share what I have learned, continue telling stories that matter, and help create opportunities for others to do the same.
Follow Dennis’s work
Dennis’s work can be explored through the Lab20 Podcast, where he hosts conversations on governance, culture and democracy, as well as through Influencer Malawi, a platform supporting the country’s growing digital creator economy.
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