Cont winds up Lupane training

Bruce Ndlovu
Veteran filmmaker and arts doyen Cont Mhlangaaï¿½ï¿½s dream of bringing aï¿½?Hollywood to Lupaneaï¿½? is fast becoming a reality after he completed the first batch of pilot small screen projects from the district.

Mhlanga has so far helped the conception and shooting of four film projects under the Zambezi-Shangani project which is aimed at training and equipping film practitioners in Matabeleland North province as the country seeks to expand its talent pool to meet the needs of digitisation.

A few months ago the arts doyen announced that he was ending his long marriage with the arts, as he retreated to his Lupane home to look after his livestock and lead a peaceful rural life away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

However, the Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr Chris Mushohweaï¿½ï¿½s courtesy call to the arts guruaï¿½ï¿½s rural home in Lupane where he emphasised that Government still needed Mhlangaaï¿½ï¿½s expertise for content creation seemed to have convinced him to change his stance.

This week Mhlanga wrapped up production of the four pilot projects from Lupane district.

aï¿½?So far things have been going on well and I am happy that we are finally finished with Lupane. People will be surprised by what they get from Lupane because we are using a lot of new players that people have not seen on their screens. As of now I am editing the pilots,aï¿½? he said in an interview with B-Metro this week.

The four programmes whose pilot projects have been completed are Sharp Zinto (entertainment magazine show) Esigabeni (soapie), Ezika Lobengula kaMawaba (documentary) and Abasacathulayo (youth talent show).

Mhlanga said the range of projects was aimed at not only showcasing the talent of the people of Lupane and Matabeleland North but also the history of the area. He added that the province would focus on projects with historical significance and leave the rest of the countryaï¿½ï¿½s provinces to tackle the gloss and pitfalls of city life.

aï¿½?When we started this project our request with the digitisation committee was for a Geo-Historical channel that would show the past and overall beauty of the region. That is why we have gone with the projects that we just finished because they illustrate the depth of the lives and past of people living in Matabeleland North,aï¿½? he said.

Mhlanga said he hoped that at the end of August when he is supposed to have wrapped up his 20-week training programme, he would have wrapped up all seven districts in the province.

aï¿½?We will go to Binga next week because they have already sent seven of their drama scripts which I made into one wholesome project. The intention is to throw attention to the lives of people that have never seen themselves on TV and we are hopeful that Binga will also deliver four pilot projects. After that we go to Tsholotsho,aï¿½? he said.