Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
AUTHOR-TURNED-FILMAKER and entrepreneur, Amos Chinodakufa, has been nominated for the Excellence Creative Arts Awards at the SA–Zimbabwe Business Expo Awards.
Chinodakufa said the nomination has strengthened his determination to continue building a globally-recognised creative brand.
In an interview with Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Chinodakufa said he was delighted that his hard work had been noticed and appreciated.
“I am happy because it showed that people have seen my work and efforts thus far and have considered me worthy of such an honour. “It helped me realise that my efforts were not in vain,” he said.
The creative industry player believes the recognition comes from years of consistent work and a number of major projects which he has undertaken.
He said the growth of Chinoz Productions, which he founded in 2015, was one of the key reasons behind the nomination.
Chinodakufa said the company was established with a vision of creating productions that can compete on the global stage.
He said his feature film ‘The Kairos 5’, which he wrote, directed and produced and was released last year, also played a part for Chinoz Production to be recognised in the upcoming awards. The film later secured distribution on Amazon Prime Video, marking a major achievement for local cinema.
He also pointed out to his work to make the Shona language available through Filmhub, an international distribution channel linked to platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
“I believe it is a combination of three things —the work I’m doing at Chinoz Productions, the company I founded in 2015, where I’m trying to build something big that has a global footprint.
“The Kairos 5” feature film, which I wrote, directed, and produced, and was released last year, being picked up by Amazon Prime for distribution and being the first person to make the Shona language available through Filmhub, the international distribution channel for Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime video, and others.”
Chinodakufa said the nomination has given him renewed motivation to keep pushing despite the challenges often faced in the creative sector. “This nomination has boosted my resolve to continue fighting on regardless of the obstacles I may face, until the vision for Chinoz Productions is fully realised,” he said.
‘The Kairos 5’ was done over two months in Johannesburg.‘The Kairos 5’, follows a group of men involved in a high-stakes heist that spirals out of control when their wealthy target unexpectedly dies in their custody, plunging them into a dangerous web of deceit.
With no external funding, the film assembled a cast of dedicated volunteer actors who shared his vision.
The film was shot on a single Sony ZV-E10 camera with a kit lens and Chinodakufa took on multiple roles, including cinematographer, sound engineer, and production designer.
Chinodakufa’s decision to use the Shona language for dialogue was a deliberate choice, driven by his patriotism and a desire to stand out in the crowded global film industry.
Mathew Masinge