Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
AWARD-WINNING poet, writer, playwright and filmmaker from Bulawayo, Chioniso Tsikisayi has added ‘Bureau De Change’, the inspiration behind her performance at last year’s Women, Wine, and Words at the Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo, to her promising filmography.
Released last Thursday on YouTube, the poetic short film, a comparison piece to Chioniso’s “Queue for a dream” released last year harnesses the power of poetry to facilitate a dynamic exchange of ideas and human perspectives.
In an interview with Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, the filmmaker said, “Poetry is my exchange booth − where perspectives are traded and the foreign becomes familiar.”
According to her, the short film is an experimental fusion of spoken-word and film, weaving a Pan-African tale of a continent in search of a new hairstylist.
“This poignant piece explores poetry as a universal exchange booth, where collective and foreign experiences converge within our shared humanity. The film delves into the conversion of emotion as a universal currency, giving voice to the inexpressible,” she added.
Starring herself, her sister Phyllis Tsikisayi, and Lulu Blakk, the film written and co-directed by Tsikisayi was produced by the European Film Festival Zimbabwe (EuroFilmFestZW) Bioskop! Short Film Competition’s Best Narrative winners in 2023, Clinton Zvoushe and Xolani Mkwananzi, with the former directing and the latter taking care of the cinematography.
For a long time, Chioniso’s voice has echoed through the spoken word corridors, yearning for change and amassing international recognition in the process.
Passionate about creative arts and conscious storytelling, Chioniso’s work has been published in Brittle Paper, Isele Magazine, and Litro Magazine.
Her first body of music, titled “Heaven Is Closer Than You Know” was released in November 2020 in collaboration with award-winning media hub Cottage47.
She performed at The PiChani (a Pan African lifestyle and networking event for young creatives) as well as at the opening ceremony of the EuroFilmFestZW in Bulawayo in the past.
A finalist for Grand Slam Africa 2021 hosted by Kenya Poetry Slam and Cre8ive Spills and placed third for the Intwasa Short Story Competition in 2021, Chioniso was named by the Brittle Paper as their November Spotlight Artist.
With accolades such as the Bulawayo Arts Award (BAA) for Outstanding Poet and the prestigious Canopus Award for Interstellar Writing, her portfolio has grown exponentially.
Her debut novel, “What It Means to Outlive a Daughter”, has already garnered international attention, landing on the 2024 Island Prize longlist.
Her debut play, “A Woman Has Two Mouths,” was shortlisted for the African Women Playwrights Network Festival of Plays in Accra, Ghana.
She is also a Creative Writing Alumni of the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, and additionally, her poetic short film “Queue for a Dream”, was selected for the NGO International Film Festival in Australia and her linguistical prowess in Swahili and French has made her one of the country’s most sought-after creative export.
