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Valerie Mpundu
EMMY award-winning producer, Anthony Mutambira, has hailed the strides being made to develop the Zimbabwean film
industry.
Mutambira has been in the film industry since 2001 following his return from the United States of America after failing to
enroll at a Miami university due to financial constraints.
He attended a three-month course under the UNESCO Zimbabwe Film and Video Training Programme.
In an interview, Mutambira, who is the co-founder of Zimbabwe Film Industry Development, applauded efforts made in the
sector.
“We have been engaging the Government for years and finally, I am now on the board of the National Film Strategy, presided
over by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and the ministry,” he said
“For two years, we have been formulating film strategy and ultimately we seek a film policy.”
Mutambira emphasised the need for a film policy highlighting production ethics to uphold standards.
“We are looking at conditions of service, codes of conduct, and creating a safe space for actresses and actors to work in,” he
said.
“So much work has been put to see this through and I am glad to say the Government has been very supportive. There is a film
strategy on the horizon.”
Mutambira’s recent production “The Friendship Bench” won him accolades.
“The Friendship Bench was inspired by a friend of mine, Graham Leader (Sea Lion Films), who lost his son to suicide. As a
filmmaker, he began to feed off that,” he said.
“After watching Professor Dixon Chibanda’s Friendship Bench who also lost a patient to suicide, he came to me.
“My director of photography Joe Njangu’s words echoed euphorically when he called me at 11.45pm to say we had won best
documentary in Southern Africa for a subject on mental health.
“The Friendship Bench is a sensitive documentary taking an in-depth exploration into mental health awareness. Dixon
Chibanda is a determined psychiatrist providing a safe space for communities to engage.
“It was an extremely challenging documentary to make because we shot it during the Covid-19 era. We faced several challenges
and at times we had to stop the shoot.”
Graham Leader produced the film. Moeti Vogt directed, while Anthony Mutambira was the line producer.
“The Friendship Bench” documentary has won in categories such as Editing at Encounters South Africa and Best Documentary
in Southern Africa at the Sotambe Zambia International Film Festival.
Mutambira has also won an Emmy for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the Science Fair.
The Science Fair Series is a documentary focusing on youths making a difference in society.
The film featured Dana Ballout, Mutambira, Katy Dierks, Karen Gaytan, Krista Manis and Kristofer Rios on production.
Online Reporter