admin
and 9-12 respectively.
Yvonne Jila, the IIFF director, said this year’s edition would be bigger and better.
“We have spread our wings to schools, colleges and universities in addition to monthly screenings at the Book Cafe. We have already been to Harare Polytechnic and we look forward to screen films at the Women’s University in Africa and the Christian College of Southern Africa,” she said.
“IIFF 2013 promises viewers inspirational and empowering stories about women who have overcome their odds. These are stories of women from different parts of the world who have committed their lives to fight for a violence-free society, a society where women can realise their full potential both in the private and public spheres.
Even more importantly, IIFF provides a space where women can come together to network, bond and build their dreams in a relaxed, safe environment. Women rarely have this opportunity outside the festival week,” she added.
An awards ceremony will be held on the closing of the festival to honour outstanding films. The 35mm format will maintain its categories of best film, best director, best cinematographer, best actress, best script and film that best depicts the theme while the non-celluloid format will feature the best film in other formats, best short film and best documentary. In the Shasha/Ingcitshi/Zim Experts category, local films will compete for the best locally produced features and short films with their roots right here in Zimbabwe.
Locally produced documentaries that go beyond the headlines in telling real life stories that surprise, entertain and challenge audiences emotionally will compete for the best local documentary.
“The best local categories have been introduced to encourage local filmmakers to tell the Zimbabwean story to other Zimbabweans, tell stories that will inform, inspire, educate locals and positively impact on their communities.
“Another category to watch out for is the New Man which showcases men who positively contribute towards women’s empowerment. The award is called the Walter Mparutsa Best Film in the New Man Category. The audience will also get to vote for their favourite film under the Audience Prize,” she said.
The festival has become an integral part of the local and regional film calendars and is a focal point for WFOZ’s activities. IIFF has also created spaces and stimuli for societal engagement with critical issues ordinarily not engaged with adequately in the mainstream.
Last year a total of 87 films ranging from features to documentaries were screened in Harare. The films portrayed themes that are of great relevance to Zimbabwean society as they showed women’s lived realities with a closer lens at the relationship between women’s practical needs and strategic needs.
The stories touched on universal issues such as women’s economic empowerment, access to education, environmental awareness and gender-based violence, among others.
Online Reporter