MSPA FILM AWARDS 2024: A NIGHT OF TRIUMPH FOR DHIVEHI FILM INDUSTRY
On the evening of 22 August 2025, the Giyaasuddin School hall came alive with an energy the Dhivehi film community has yearned for — the MSPA Film Awards 2024. This was more than an award ceremony; it was a celebration of the unshakable belief that art matters.
The Maldives Society for Performing Arts (MSPA), officially formed on 1 February 2021, is no ordinary association. It was born out of necessity — a direct response to decades of neglect faced by Maldivian artists from institutions mandated to uplift them. Institutions that, more often than not, remember the performing arts only when a political campaign needs color, music, and a crowd.
At the heart of this movement stands Mohamed Rasheed. His journey began 44 years ago, behind the camera at TVM. From cameraman to actor to household name, Rasheed has been a tireless advocate for the arts, even at a time when many dismissed it altogether.
He never wavered. Instead, he made a stand and built a foundation for generations to come. His vision and persistence gave birth to MSPA — an association devoted to empowering the performing arts through education, industry development, and recognition.
Last night’s awards ceremony was a powerful statement of that mission in action. Embraced warmly by the Dhivehi film industry and artists nationwide, the event carried more than festivity — it carried history.
In his heartfelt speech, Rasheed did not shy away from the struggles. He recalled how some mandated bodies initially pledged support to hold this event, only to vanish when it mattered most. Their absence was telling — proving once again that when politics isn’t on the ballot, performing arts isn’t on their agenda. But Rasheed and MSPA turned that rejection into a statement of independence.
The night proved something vital: performing arts in the Maldives are alive and thriving — not because of institutions that abandoned their duty, but because of the artists who keep creating, and platforms like MSPA that refuse to bow.
The MSPA Film Awards 2024 were not just about trophies and applause. They were about recognition. About dignity. About hope. They were a powerful statement to every Maldivian artist: You matter. Your art matters. And no institution, no politics, and no neglect will ever erase that. MSPA will make sure the world sees it — today, tomorrow, and long after the banners of campaigns have faded.
Congratulations to MSPA. The fight for our arts is only just beginning, and this time, it is fueled by spirit and strength.
Mahdi Ahmed 
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