Chronicle Editor
Angela Sibanda, Showbiz Reporter
Artistes from Pumula suburb are set to launch a television series that seeks to address social ills such as gender-based violence, child abuse, and drug and physical abuse among young people living in high-density suburbs.
Es’phakeni, The Pumula Saga, is set to première tomorrow at Ster-Kinekor cinemas in Bulawayo.
Doubt Phiri, the line producer of the film said the production is unique as it is embodied with Kung Fu Karate sessions.
“Pumula was the home of Kung Fu Karate here in Bulawayo and we included some fighting sessions to bring out the unique social life of Pumula as a suburb. Ninety-nine percent of our cast is drawn from the suburb,” he said.
According to Phiri, the film follows the life of a young man Zamani, who becomes an enemy with school-leavers who have become popular gangsters. “Zamani falls in love with a girl whom the gangsters are also in pursuit of. A war erupts between the young man and the gangsters boast of being well connected with local police and they take it as an advantage to be more violent.
“Priests, community leaders, police, teachers and community leaders are also at the centre of the story which has all the instances of a thriller,” said Phiri.
The film features talented actors like Mandlenkosi Simango, a Starbrite Martial Art winner who has been into Martial Arts since the age of four, Progress Kheswa – an award-winning actress who is a product of Amakhosi Theatre, Nedric Madeya – former reserve Highlanders goalkeeper who is currently the first-choice goalkeeper for Hwange and ZBC’s newscaster Merelin Ngwenya who plays the role of a strict police officer.
The film is directed by Shepard Khumalo with Simbarashe Simango as the producer.
The film is a production of Umqali Wendaba, a film production company that was founded by Pumula filmmaker Shepard Khumalo six years ago. The company has worked with several renowned artistes.
Online Reporter