Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu in BEIJING, China
Zimbabwe has been encouraged to strengthen its cultural confidence and take a more active role in shaping its global image through film and television, as China calls for deeper collaboration in storytelling between the two countries.
The call was made on Monday during the Seminar for Media Professionals for Zimbabwe in Beijing, China, organised by the Academy for International Business Officials, which operates under the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.
Speaking during the question and answer session of the topic “Sino-Foreign Film and Television Exchange and Mutual Learning in the Convergence Media Era,” Director of Foreign Affairs at China Film Group Jiayang Sangzhu said Africa and Zimbabwe were often portrayed negatively in Western films through stereotypes centred on conflict, political instability and violence.
Sangzhu, who is a former actor and one of China’s well-known personalities, said such portrayals did not reflect the realities of modern Zimbabwe and Africa, arguing that these narratives had contributed to the stigmatization of the continent.
“For China, we mainly know Zimbabwe and Africa from the lens of US movies,” he said.
“In their stories and movies, they talk about political regime change, military conflict, tribes, robbery and terrorism. I think that is not true about the current Africa. That is not true about the current Zimbabwe.”
He said Western storytelling had often distorted Africa’s image, reinforcing stereotypes that do not reflect present-day realities.
“In their movies, they stigmatise your image. They have distorted your legitimate image into a wrong one, into a stereotyped one,” he said.
Sangzhu said Zimbabwe needed to project its own identity and developmental progress through authentic storytelling.
“The thing is that Zimbabwe needs to be more culturally confident and tell the world and tell China about what it has changed and what it has advanced,” he said.
He added that Zimbabwean filmmakers had an opportunity to reshape global perceptions through film.
“We need to show the world our real image and the legitimate image,” he said.
Sangzhu further said Zimbabwe-China co-operation in film should evolve beyond mutual observation into co-creation of content, linking cinema directly with tourism, learning and economic activity.
“China-Zimbabwe co-operation can move from ‘seeing each other’ to creating together,” he said.
He explained that modern film industries are no longer limited to storytelling alone, but function as integrated systems that connect culture, tourism and economic activity.
“Film is not a slogan. It is a co-ordination mechanism. Films are now an entry point for the tourism travel sector,” he said.
He added that effective cultural production follows a structured logic:
“Content should be seen as the source, communication as the amplifier, scenes as the converter and consumption as the outcome.”
Sangzhu said the traditional model of simply screening films abroad was becoming outdated and should be replaced by a system where stories generate real-world engagement and travel.
“The new logic is not simply to send films abroad; it is to organise stories,” he said.
He noted that international audiences often develop curiosity about real locations after watching films, turning cinema into a driver of tourism and economic activity.
“They will know about various landmarks and ignite in them the desire to combine film and real-life experience by travelling,” he said.
He added that success in film diplomacy should be measured not only by viewership but by real-world impact.
“The ultimate measure of success is not how many people watch a film, but how many book a flight,” he said.
Sangzhu pointed to China’s own experience, saying the film sector had helped transform remote areas into major tourism destinations, turning cultural production into an economic engine.
He urged Zimbabwe to adopt a similar strategy by linking its film industry with tourism marketing.
“For Zimbabwe, which boasts world-class landmarks including Victoria Falls, the Great Zimbabwe ruins and the Matopos Hills, the lesson is urgent,” he said.
“A film festival, properly executed, can do more than celebrate art: it can fill hotels, restaurants and tour buses.”
He said Zimbabwe should position itself strategically to attract both filmmakers and tourists through co-ordinated storytelling and destination branding.
Sangzhu also outlined practical pathways for Zimbabwean filmmakers seeking to access and participate in China’s film industry, saying there are multiple entry points for co-operation.
He said one of the most direct ways was to engage institutions such as China Film Group, where proposals, scripts and collaboration intentions can be assessed and escalated to relevant departments.
He added that filmmakers can also approach the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, which serves as an official diplomatic channel for communication, submissions and co-ordination between Zimbabwean creatives and Chinese media authorities.
Sangzhu said these channels allow for structured engagement, where Zimbabwean productions can be reviewed for cultural and communication value, as well as potential collaboration opportunities.
He noted that while commercial value is considered, the current phase of co-operation prioritises cultural exchange and mutual understanding, with a willingness to introduce Zimbabwean films to Chinese audiences even where immediate profits are limited.
“China-Zimbabwe co-operation can move from ‘seeing each other’ to creating together. Link cinema with tourism and people-to-people learning. Let Zimbabwean audiences see China while encouraging more Chinese filmmakers to enter Zimbabwe,” he said.
Sangzhu also emphasised that film co-operation goes beyond economics, strengthening trust and cultural understanding between nations.
“When nations collaborate through cinema, they build something deeper than a transaction,” he said. “When cinema becomes the medium, exchange becomes more than promotion. It becomes cultural dialogue, industrial learning and trust-building between societies.”
He added that global travel trends were already recovering strongly, with international mobility increasing significantly as audiences seek authentic cultural experiences.
“International film communication no longer stops at overseas awareness. It can be converted into arrival, experience and consumption,” he said.
